The Iranian President said yesterday Iran's determination to continue its disputed nuclear work had brought major powers "to their knees".

In a typically defiant speech as the International Atomic Energy Agency prepared to issue a report on Iran this week, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran would ignore calls by major powers to halt sensitive nuclear work that has led to two rounds of UN sanctions.

"The Iranian nation will not allow any power to trample even on its smallest (national) right," he said in a televised speech to a rally in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas.

As well as worrying the West, Mr Ahmadinejad's uncompromising speeches have stoked concerns among moderate politicians in Iran, an issue that has come to the fore before the March election for Parliament. Critics say the President is pushing Iran into international isolation.

Former nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, who is running for a parliament seat, said in remarks published yesterday he had quit the post of negotiator over "differences on management mechanism" with Mr Ahmadinejad. He did not elaborate.

The IAEA report is expected to be released this week. IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei has said the agency has made "good progress" in resolving outstanding issues.

UN Security Council members are expected to scrutinise the details in his report before finalising any new sanctions text, which is now being considered.

"The Iranian nation's will to continue nuclear work has won over the will of big powers... (and) brought them to their knees," the president said, to chants by those in the crowd of "Death to America" and "Nuclear energy is our obvious right".