Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said today his country had no plans to build nuclear weapons and predicted it would reach an agreement on its nuclear programme with the UN atomic watchdog.
Mr Khatami, speaking on the sidelines of an Islamic summit in Malaysia, said Iran did not rule out signing the Additional Protocol of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty on snap inspections but insisted on respect for his country's rights.
"We continue to co-operate with the agency," Mr Khatami said, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
"It is not in our defence strategy to develop a nuclear bomb," he said, adding: "Iran is a defender of making the Middle East a nuclear-free zone."
The IAEA's chief said yesterday Iran had vowed to answer outstanding concerns about its nuclear programme and was willing to accept tougher inspections of sites, where Washington says bombs could be made.