Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said on Friday his country had no plans to build nuclear weapons and predicted that it would reach an agreement on its nuclear programme with the UN atomic watchdog.
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 have no intention to build nuclear weapons," Khatami told reporters, adding that while Iran was co-operating with the UN nuclear inspectors, it was on its guard against any threat from the outside.
"We continue to cooperate with the agency," he said, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
"It is not in our defence strategy to develop a nuclear bomb," he said, adding" The UN nuclear watchdog chief said on Thursday 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.
"We are going to do everything within the legal framework of the agency," Khatami said on the last day of the two-day summit of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference.
Seen as more moderate than some of his colleagues, Khatami said his country had started final negotiations with the IAEA, adding they would reach an agreement over Tehran's nuclear programme.
"For our sovereignty and territorial integrity we are going to discuss and we are going to reach final agreement and we have already started final negotiations," he said. "There is no major problem in principle but we insist on our rights," he said.
He said another group of IAEA inspectors would arrive soon.
Khatami, having mentioned the possibility of hostilities by the United States or Israel, said he did not think Washington would do anything provocative at this time.
"They are not in a position to commit another mistake but at the same time we remain ready, we remain vigilant," he said.
"I don't think the United States is in a position with the international community to commit this mistake a second or third time."

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