Tehran, Oct 10 (IANS): Iran has dismissed Britain's defence secretary's recent remarks about Tehran's nuclear programme and justification of western sanctions on it, Xinhua reported.

Iranian Defence Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi Tuesday dismissed British defence secretary Philip Hammond's remarks that the Western sanctions over Iran's nuclear programme "were necessary to pressure Iran to end its nuclear activities," claiming that Tehran's "mad scheme to build a bomb has to be brought to an end".

Hammond made the comments while talking to a British daily Sunday.

"We can definitely make the pain [resulting from sanctions against the Iranian people] much greater," he added.

The Iranian minister asked: "Are the British government's measures, which possesses over 200 strategic nuclear warheads ... ranks the third in the world in terms of nuclear weapon tests, and produces 3.2 million cubic metres of nuclear waste 'mad', or Iran's peaceful nuclear activities?"

Vahidi noted that the British defence secretary's "mad" remarks have disclosed his true intention proving that their allegations against Iran's nuclear programme are anything but excuses and they only mean to inflict pain and suffering on the Iranian nation.

West accuses Iran of developing nuclear weapons under the cover of civilian nuclear programme. Iran rejects the claims and insists on its "peaceful" nature.