Former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani urged Iranian officials on Tuesday against dismissing international sanctions as "jokes," saying the Islamic republic was facing its worst ever "assault" from the global community.

"Throughout the revolution, we never had so many sanctions (imposed on Iran) and I am calling on you and all officials to take the sanctions seriously and not as jokes," the ILNA news agency quoted Rafsanjani as telling the six-monthly meeting of the Assembly of Experts, which supervises the work of Iran's supreme leader.

The influential cleric, who heads the assembly and who is now seen as an opposition supporter, said Iran has never been in such a situation since the 1979 Islamic revolution, with "some states acting against" the Islamic republic and "some activating countries around us (to act) against" it.

"Over the past 30 years we had a war and military threats, but never have we seen such arrogance to plan a calculated assault against us," Rafsanjani was quoted as saying in a separate report on the state television's website.

"Never have we had so many resolutions from international institutions such as the UN Security Council and the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) and governments against us."

On June 9, the Security Council imposed its fourth set of sanctions against Iran for defiantly pursuing the controversial uranium enrichment programme.

The UN sanctions were followed by unilateral punitive measures by the United States, the European Union, Australia, Canada, Japan, and South Korea.

The bulk of unilateral measures, especially those levied by the EU and the United States, target Iran's vital energy sector and its petrol imports in particular.

Prior to the latest sanctions, Iran, OPEC's second largest crude oil exporter, 80 percent of whose annual revenues come from oil sales, was thought to be importing nearly 40 percent of its yearly petrol needs.

But it recently claimed it has achieved "self-sufficiency" in the production of this vital commodity.

Rafsanjani's comments come days after Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to circumvent the sanctions, which President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has dismissed as a "used hanky that should be thrown in the dustbin."

"The nation and officials will undoubtedly circumvent the sanctions and render them ineffective just as (they have) in the past three decades," Khamenei said on September 7.

All the four sets of UN sanctions have been imposed against Iran during the presidency of Ahmadinejad, a bitter opponent of Rafsanjani and who has infuriated the West by aggressively pursuing the uranium enrichment drive.

Rafsanjani was defeated by Ahmadinejad in the 2005 Iranian presidential election and political observers claim the two have been at loggerheads since the hardliner accused the cleric's family of corruption in a television debate ahead of last year's disputed presidential election.

On Tuesday, Rafsanjani, a two-time president, urged for caution while dealing with the current situation.

"We should examine the global situation and the path which would aggravate the situation as well as ways which would strengthen the Islamic republic," he told the meeting.

"We are facing a major ordeal and, God willing, we can leave it behind proudly," he added.

earlier related report
South Korea's Kia halts exports to Iran
Seoul (AFP) Sept 14, 2010 - South Korea's Kia Motors, whose Pride model is ubiquitous on Iranian roads, said Tuesday it had suspended exports to the Islamic state partly in response to Seoul's nuclear-related sanctions.

"South Korean government sanctions... were part of the decision," Kia spokesman Michael Choo told AFP, declining to comment further.

Kia's Pride, a small hatchback, accounts for 30-40 percent of all vehicles on Iran's roads, according to the company. The firm last year exported 4,210 complete vehicles to Iran and 17,040 cars in kit form for local assembly.

Kia suspended all exports to Iran last month, including completed vehicles, kits and spare parts -- before South Korea's government announced its detailed measures but after it announced its intention to impose sanctions.

According to a survey issued Sunday, more than three-quarters of South Korea's small and mid-size exporters have partly or totally discontinued shipments to Iran following Seoul's sanctions.

The survey of 88 smaller exporters conducted by the Small and Medium Business Administration showed 28 percent had halted exports. Another 48 percent said they had partially suspended shipments.

The cut-off was due to fears they would be unable to receive payments for shipments.

South Korea last week announced its package of sanctions over Iran's suspected nuclear weapons programme, in line with US-backed United Nations action.

The finance ministry said it would impose a "severe" penalty on the Seoul branch of Bank Mellat for violating laws on foreign exchange transactions. It did not elaborate but Yonhap news agency said the Iranian bank would likely face a two-month suspension.

The measures included blacklisting 24 individuals and 102 Iranian entities, including 14 other banks, as well as the strengthening of inspections of cargoes related to Iran.

There were also restrictions on new investment in Iran's oil and gas industry, but no ban on oil imports, which provide 10 percent of South Korea's needs.

Transactions with Iranian entities not subject to sanctions will require approval from Seoul if they exceed 40,000 euros (51,000 dollars).

South Korea also said it would reduce export guarantees for shipments to Iran. Trade between the two countries was worth 9.74 billion dollars last year.

In July, South Korea's GS Engineering and Construction announced that a 1.42 trillion won (1.2 billion dollar) gas plant project in Iran had been cancelled by the Iranian side due to the UN sanctions.

Kia, with its larger partner Hyundai Motor, forms the world's fifth largest automaking group.

Kia's second-quarter net profit this year soared 61 percent year-on-year thanks to strong sales in domestic and overseas markets. It makes cars in the United States, Slovakia and China as well as South Korea.