Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed that his country would continue to develop nuclear technology. From Tehran, reporter Roxanna Saberi discusses the day's developments with Jacki Lyden. At a news conference Saturday in Tehran, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed his country would not back down. 
JACKI LYDEN, host: From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.  I'm Jacki Lyden.  Debbie      Elliott is away.</s>JACKI LYDEN, host: Iran will continue its drive to develop nuclear technology.  Speaking      today in Tehran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reiterated that Western      nations have no legal right to restrict his country's nuclear research.      Earlier this week, Iran removed the UN seals on its uranium processing      equipment in defiance of international agreements.  Roxanna Saberi is a      reporter based in Tehran and she joins us on the line.</s>JACKI LYDEN, host: Welcome, Roxanna.</s>Ms. ROXANNA SABERI (Reporter): Thanks for having me, Jacki.</s>JACKI LYDEN, host: We know now that this dance has been going on for a while between      the West and Iran over its nuclear capability.  Do you think that      President Ahmadinejad's remarks have indeed indicated a new readiness to      abandon negotiations altogether?</s>Ms. ROXANNA SABERI (Reporter): Well, I don't think it has reached that point yet, but at      the same time, it's true Ahmadinejad did use strong language and it is in      keeping with hard-line stance that he has held on the nuclear issue.      Iran has basically argued that from a legalistic approach that Iran has      the right to have the full nuclear fuel cycle as a member of the Nuclear      Non-Proliferation Treaty, but Ahmadinejad simply--I think his main      message today was that his country will not be intimidated and the nation      is unified even if the case goes to the UN Security Council for possible      sanctions.</s>JACKI LYDEN, host: There are fears that Iran, which is the second-largest      oil-producing country in the world, will respond to this international      pressure by holding back some of its oil which is called playing the oil      card.  Was there any hint or mention of that in the news conference?</s>Ms. ROXANNA SABERI (Reporter): Ahmadinejad did say that foreign countries need Iran 10      times more than Iran needs them.  And indeed Iran does have 10 percent of      the world's known oil reserves and more gas than any other country, but      Russia--it exports about 2.5 million barrels of oil a day.  So Iranian      leaders believe that if the country were sanctioned, the rest of the      world would suffer because it would experience a decrease in the supply      of oil and an increase to fight.</s>JACKI LYDEN, host: This trauma as we mention has really been growing.  I'm wondering      how ordinary Iranians are feeling about what's going on.  The economy is      quite dependent on Europe.  There's been talk of possible sanctions.  Are      people supporting the president's defiance or feeling that he's taking      them into unnecessarily dangerous waters?</s>Ms. ROXANNA SABERI (Reporter): Most Iranians will say their country has the right to      nuclear energy, but if you ask them at what cost, their answers will      differ.  Some Iranians say that they should not have to risk being      internationally isolated, sanctioned or even a possible military attack.      Other Iranians say that Iran should risk these things if it means that      Iran can have nuclear energy.  And some other Iranians even believe that      Iran should have the right to nuclear weapons because they say Israel has      nuclear weapons and this would bring some stability to the region instead      of instability.</s>JACKI LYDEN, host: Roxanna Saberi is a reporter for Feature Story News in Tehran.</s>JACKI LYDEN, host: Roxanna, thanks very much.</s>Ms. ROXANNA SABERI (Reporter): Thanks for having me.