Iran says nuclear programme peaceful

JAKARTA - Iran's nuclear programme is peaceful and has no military purpose, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said today, adding he was ready to engage in dialogue with anybody.

"It has nothing to do with nuclear weapons, or military purposes," he said during a visit to Indonesia. He was speaking in an interview broadcast live on local Metro television.

He also said it was "ridiculous" for countries with nuclear arsenals of their own to be pressing Iran to curb its effort to develop nuclear energy.

"We also possess the technical and other capabilities to defend our interests," Ahmadinejad added.

"Any mistreatment of the Iranian people will actually cause more losses to them," he said without elaborating.

Washington and its European allies have been seeking a UN Security Council resolution that would oblige Iran to halt all uranium enrichment work or face possible sanctions.

But this week the drive for a resolution slowed as Washington agreed to first let Europeans devise a package of benefits to induce Iran to curb its nuclear ambitions and sanctions if it does not.

Consequently, there might not be a decision on a draft UN resolution for about two weeks.

Tehran says it only wants to produce low-grade enriched uranium to use in atomic power reactors, not the highly enriched uranium needed to make bombs.

Iran is "ready to engage in dialogue with anybody", Ahmadinejad said in the interview, responding to a question about a letter he wrote to US President George W. Bush this week.

Bush said the lengthy letter from Ahmadinejad failed to answer international demands that Iran stop work which could be used to make nuclear arms.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged Iran on Wednesday to drop its blunt rejection of Western overtures on its nuclear programme.

"What is important here is that everybody seems to realise that we need to intensify diplomatic efforts and find a solution," he said. "I hope everyone will reduce the level of the rhetoric on this issue."

Ahmadinejad began his visit on Wednesday by meeting Indonesian President Susilio Bambang Yudhoyono, who said Jakarta had offered to help mediate the nuclear dispute.

Iran had been receptive, Yudhoyono's spokesman said. Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, is on good terms with Iran and other Middle East countries as well as with the West.

The Iranian president remains in Jakarta till early afternoon on Friday, visiting universities and speaking to business executives and Islamic leaders.

Ahmadinejad is then due to fly to Bali for a meeting of the Developing Eight group that also includes Indonesia, Nigeria, Malaysia, Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

- REUTERS