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TEHRAN - Iran has rejected demands by the UN Security Council to suspend uranium enrichment work amid growing tensions over Tehran's refusal to hand back 15 sailors and marines seized by the Iranian Navy.
The major powers renewed their offer of an economic and technological incentive package but insisted the sanctions would stay in place until Iran halts the enrichment of uranium and the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel.
Iran's Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, told the Security Council after the vote that it had been abused and manipulated by some of its members to take "unjustifiable action" against his country's peaceful nuclear programme.
Tehran also hit out at Britain over the patrol boat seizure.
Iran's top military official, General Ali Reza Afshar, said the navy personnel were moved to Tehran and under interrogation "confessed to illegal entry".
