Iran's Ahmadinejad: Proposed Sanctions Not Legal

KAMPALA, Uganda – Iran's president says proposed U.N. sanctions against the country's nuclear program "lack legal validity."

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said during a visit to Uganda on Saturday that he will not accept sanctions. He says sanctions will hurt the reputation of the U.S. and President Barack Obama.

Ahmadinejad arrived Friday in the East African nation to discuss Iran's nuclear program. Uganda is a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and has not yet ruled out the possibility of voting for sanctions against Iran.

Iran has been under harsh criticism from Western nations for pressing ahead with uranium enrichment programs it says are to produce nuclear energy. The West fears the militant Islamic state could develop nuclear weapons.