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SHANGHAI -- Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad urged China, Russia and Central Asian nations to increase cooperation and blunt the interference of "domineering powers" in global affairs -- an apparent reference to the U.S. -- while dangling Iran's energy supplies as an inducement to work together.

The Iranian leader, under mounting pressure from Washington to curb his country's nuclear ambitions, was speaking yesterday at the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional economic-and-security bloc fashioned by Beijing. Besides China and Russia, the group includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Countries of the region should work together to "prevent the threats of domineering powers and their aggressive interference in global affairs," Mr. Ahmadinejad said. He emphasized that Iran's large reserves of crude oil provide "conducive grounds" for these countries to cooperate with Tehran.

Mr. Ahmadinejad appeared alongside the leaders of Russia and China, both permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, in a move that Iran apparently hopes will strengthen its hand and undercut that of its rivals before it enters into potential negotiations with the U.S. and other countries over the future of Tehran's nuclear programs.

While Mr. Ahmadinejad was enjoying a warm public welcome in Shanghai, U.S. and European diplomats at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna tried to press Iran to halt sensitive nuclear activities that could produce material for atomic bombs.

Gregory L. Schulte, the chief U.S. delegate to the IAEA, blasted Tehran for "withholding cooperation" from international inspectors and warned that further intransigence risks the "weight of the Security Council." He called on Iran to accept a proposal for multilateral talks.

The U.S., China, Russia and three other European nations have said that if Tehran suspends uranium enrichment, they would start negotiations on incentives for Iran to limit its nuclear programs.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who met with Mr. Ahmadinejad, told reporters "Iran is ready to enter negotiations." But it remained unclear whether Tehran would agree first to stop uranium-enrichment efforts. That process can produce fuel for power plants or nuclear weapons.

Both Beijing and Moscow have opposed U.S. efforts to pressure Iran with economic or diplomatic sanctions. Russia wants to sell nuclear-reactor technology to Tehran. China, preoccupied with securing enough energy for its industrial expansion, also is looking to cultivate ties with Iran.

Iran is China's third-largest supplier of crude oil, according to Chinese government figures. The country accounted for 13% of China's oil imports in the first four months of the year. Beijing also is negotiating a multibillion-dollar deal with Iran for the development and supply of further oil and natural gas to China.

For China, oil has increasingly become the focus of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which was initially formed to deal with terrorism and separatist threats. Now, Chinese analysts increasingly talk about turning the old Silk Road across Central Asia into an "energy road."

China's oil imports from Kazakhstan more than doubled in the first four months of the year, compared with the same period in 2005. Crude imports from Russia climbed 36% during the same period, making the country China's fourth-biggest oil supplier.

Mr. Putin talked of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's role as an "energy club." India, an observer at the meeting, was represented by its oil minister. Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, in campaigning for full membership in the group said his country could serve as a "trade and energy corridor" connecting China and others to oil and gas supplies.

The U.S. and other major oil importers are becoming increasingly concerned about energy security. To some officials in Washington, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is looking more threatening and anti-Western.

Mr. Ahmadinejad wasn't the only one to complain about outside influence in the region. Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov railed against the stationing of foreign military forces in the region. He said their presence marks an effort to "drive a wedge" between neighbors and "rope" host countries "into [the] sphere of influence" of countries posting the troops.

Other leaders defended the presence of international troops. Afghan President Hamid Karzai said foreign soldiers are essential to fighting terrorism and strengthening government institutions in his country.