TEHRAN (IRNA) -- Tehran's substitute Friday prayers leader Akbar-Hashemi Rafsanjani said here Iran has been oppressed in the nuclear issue and the world should admire the work of Iranian young scientists who have been able to achieve the most important part of nuclear energy activities which is uranium enrichment.

Addressing thousands of worshipers at Tehran University campus, Rafsanjani said, "Since we have signed the NPT, we are entitled to be supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to have peaceful nuclear industries." Rafsanjani said, "Iran has proved the fact that it never uses unconventional warfare. We could use chemical weapons in our war with Iraq as the Iraqis did, but we didn't." He went on to say, "The whole oppression against the Muslim nation of Iran originates from the U.S.," adding, "They (the Americans) are receiving an appropriate response from the Almighty God in Iraq and Afghanistan." "What a superpower the U.S. is when it can be easily trapped in a small country like Iraq?" the Ayatollah asked. "The U.S. Congress has voted on a bill to withdraw most troops from Iraq by April 1st next year which will be vetoed by President Bush but the whole issue shows internal differences on Iraq among U.S. leaders." Rafsanjani said. "U.S. forces can't move in Baghdad streets but in convoys and everyday they carry home their dead and injured soldiers some of whom are not declared and they have to withdraw from Iraq without any achievements." the Ayatollah said. "The Washington leaders remember their escape from Vietnam and they will have to repeat the same experience in a worse way in Iraq." Rafsanjani said. "The U.S. forces have no security in Afghanistan and have failed to materialize their declared objectives in that country. In Lebanon, they had to accept a disgraceful defeat but still try to harm the oppressed movement of Hezbollah. They have caused differences between the Palestinians and the Lebanese from which they will get no advantage." Rafsanjani said, "The Islamic revolution of Iran has awakened the Muslim nations and Iran's resistance against the most equipped regime of the region without any foreign help is a model which won't be forgotten by the oppressed nations." "The U.S. and other western countries should take lessons from these events and leave the Muslim nation of Iran alone." Rafsanjani said. He also referred to the 33-day war between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah and said all the major cities of Israel were insecure during the war and the Zionist regime lost its superficial grandeur and even the air bridge made by the U.S. to supply Israel with weapons couldn't break Hezbollah resistance. Rafsanjani maintained, the “war was a very unique event which should be constantly remembered and analyzed and never be forgotten.”