The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, today insisted that his country did not need nuclear weapons and had no plans to develop them.
Speaking at a news conference at the UN headquarters in New York, Mr Ahmadinejad said that Tehran's nuclear programme is peaceful and he is "at a loss" about what more he can do to provide guarantees.
He said: "The bottom line is we do not need a bomb."
The president said Iran's uranium enrichment programme was in line with the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty and denied that nuclear weapons facilities had been hidden from UN inspectors.
Mr Ahmadinejad said talks with the European Union about Tehran's nuclear programme were "on the right path" and, in a thinly veiled reference to the US, added that he hoped no one would disrupt them.
"We believe those negotiations are moving on the right path. Hopefully others will not disrupt the work - in small ways perhaps. It is a constructive path to take," he said.
Responding to UN security council demands, Mr Ahmadinejad said Iran was prepared to negotiate on suspending uranium enrichment "under fair and just conditions" but he gave no time frame for doing so.
His comments came just two days after he accused the US and UK of violating international law.
Addressing the floor of the UN on Tuesday, he criticised the power both countries exercised over the UN through their membership of the security council.