Meanwhile, the president has dismissed the Security Council’s resolution as “a piece of torn paper.”

The daily Jomhouri-Eslami, which reflects the views of Ayatollah Khamenei, said, “The resolution is certainly harmful for the country,” adding that it was “too much to call it ‘a piece of torn paper.’ “

The newspaper added that the nuclear programme required its own diplomacy.

Another newspaper Shargh—run by an aide to the country’s chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani—also pressed Ahmadinejad to end his involvement in the nuclear programme.

“They want to minimise the consequences of sanctions now that they have been imposed,” said Mohammad Atrianfar, an executive of the Shargh. “But they don’t have clear strategy, and they are taking one step at a time.”

“The resolution has decreased Iran’s political credibility in the international community, and so other countries cannot defend Iran,” said Ahmad Shirzad, a reformist politician and a former legislator.

Although the Security Council sanctions were limited to Iran’s nuclear programme, they have started to cause economic disruptions.

Around 50 legislators signed a letter this week calling on the President to appear before the Parliament to answer questions about the nuclear programme.

The Iranian stock market continued to decline. The daily Kargozaran reported last week that the number of traders had decreased by 46 per cent since the Security Council resolution was passed. In the past year, major European banks have severed business ties with Iran.