Key quotes in reaction to new U.N. Iran sanctions

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Key quotes in response to the adoption on Wednesday of new U.N. sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program:

U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:

"This resolution will put in place the toughest sanctions ever faced by the Iranian government ... It sends an unmistakable message about the international community's commitment to stopping the spread of nuclear weapons."

"We will ensure that these sanctions are vigorously enforced, just as we continue to refine and enforce our own sanctions on Iran.

IRANIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD:

"These resolutions have no value ... It is like a used handkerchief that should be thrown in the waste bin.

ALI ASGHAR SOLTANIEH, IRAN'S ENVOY TO THE INTERNATIONAL

ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY:

"Nothing will change. The Islamic Republic of Iran will continue uranium enrichment activities."

CHINA:

"China calls on all members of the international community to implement the resolution comprehensively and in good faith," U.N. Ambassador Li Baodong said, adding that the point of the new sanctions was "to bring Iran back to the negotiating table.

RUSSIA:

"All the measures, signed today in the resolution ... exclude the possibility of employing force ... Nothing in the resolution's text gives ground for taking measures or actions ... including the use of force or the threat of force" - Foreign Ministry statement.

ISRAEL:

The resolution is "an important step". "It is of great importance to implement the decision fully and immediately ... (But) it is clear the decision in itself is not enough," - Foreign Ministry statement.

FRANCE:

"The door to dialogue remains open and we hope that Iran will finally make the choice to cooperate," - Foreign Ministry statement.