Tehran, June 19: Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has said that Iran was not trying to build nuclear weapons but that he expected the international community to recognize his country's right to acquire advanced peaceful nuclear technology.
His comments came shortly before US President George W Bush said he and other world leaders would not tolerate nuclear weapons in Iran.

"We confidently declare that we are not after nuclear weapons," Khatami said. "Actually we don't believe that atomic weapons can bring security to a nation against countries possessing this kind of weapons."

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"In principle, we have no problem accepting other commitments and extend full and comprehensive cooperation with IAEA but we expect that our right to have this technology is recognized and help is offered to us to maintain, easier, with lower costs and less concerns, what we have achieved and also develop it," Khatami said on Wednesday.

Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful, electrical power purposes, and accuses Washington of using its influence to block that technology.

The United States suspects Iran is secretly seeking to build a nuclear bomb and wants the International Atomic Energy Agency to declare Iran in violation of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty after an agency report concluded that the country had failed to declare how it had used nuclear material. Bureau Report