Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) expressed its approval Wednesday of the latest round of sanctions passed by the United Nations Security Council against Iran, but said that they were not enough to deter Iran from pursuing its nuclear weapons program.

Israel hinted that it expects the UNSC resolution to be followed up by harsher steps by a group of nations with the United States at its head. Otherwise, it warned, "The ramifications of the connection between Iran's radical ideology and nuclear weapons will be catastrophic."    

"Israel sees Security Council Resolution 1929 as an important step, which defines clearly once again the demand that Iran comply with international demands: cease uranium enrichment, including enrichment to [a level of] 20%; stop construction of the facility at Qom; cooperate fully with the {International Atomic Energy Agency] inquiry into the military dimension of the nuclear program; and give the agency full access [to its facilities].”

"This is the sixth resolution demanding that Iran cease enrichment and cooperate with the IAEA,” the MFA noted. “Iran has thus far blatantly flouted all of the resolutions adopted until now, showing blatant disregard for the international community and its institutions. There is great importance to the immediate and full implementation of the resolution.”

"We must make clear, however, that the resolution in and of itself is not enough. It must be accompanied by meaningful steps in other international forums, and on the national level. Only this kind of sanctions, that will focus on a variety of sectors in Iran, could affect the broad spectrum of Iranian considerations. Large scale and resolute international action... is needed to make Iran clearly see the international community's demands."

Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday that the new UN sanctions would not stop Iran's nuclear program, nor would they harm his country's citizens. "These decisions are like a piece of paper that is to be thrown away," he said.