Sunday, May 8 2005 15:12 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New York: Contending that it would never permanently freeze its uranium enrichment programme, Iran has said it was its "legitimate right" to have nuclear technology even as it stressed it has no plans to produce atomic weapons.

"No incentive can substitute for our legitimate right," Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi told 'Time' magazine in an interview in its upcoming issue.

Kharrazi said that Iranian engagement with the Europeans was not to stop enrichment but to continue it in a manner that would assure the other side that Tehran would not divert material for weapons.

"(In) legal terms, nothing has been done wrong by Iran that could be taken to the (UN) Security Council. If for political reasons, the Americans want to push an Iranian foreign policy to the Security Council, I don't think that would lead to any result that would be wished by the Americans," he warned.

Replying to a question as to whether there is an inherent clash between positions of Iran and the US, he said that there is no clash on nuclear weapons issue. "But what remains is that Americans make allegations that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons programme without being able to prove it."

Asked to comment on US vice president Dick Cheney's suggestion that Israel might take care of nuclear problem in Iran and Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon saying that his country has no such planes, Kahrrazi said "I don't know if (the Israelis) have any such plan but we are ready to defend ourselves."

To a question as to what would happen if the UN Security Council decides to impose sanctions on Iran, he said Tehran is used to sanctions.