ECUADOR: Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad states that Iran's nuclear programme was for peaceful purposes and questioned the motives for the United States involvement in the Middle East, specifically Iraq

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stated again on Monday (January 15) that Iran's nuclear programme was for peaceful purposes and questioned the motives for the United States involvement in the Middle East, specifically Iraq. "They are looking for Saddam? Saddam doesn't exist. They are looking for weapons of mass destruction? They don't exist. Maybe they are looking for oil," Ahmadinejad told reporters after spending the day attending the inauguration of Ecuador's new President Rafael Correa. Ahmadinejad continued by reiterating that Iran's nuclear programme is for energy purposes only. "The inspections (IAEA) continue daily. What we are doing is entirely peaceful." And he was sceptical of the United States interference in other countries' nuclear ambitions. It is very strange the United States has atomic bombs, he said, and has used them and is protecting Israel's nuclear weapons. But for everyone else the United States opposes nuclear development. Earlier in the day Iran asked Saudi Arabia to help ease tensions between the Islamic Republic and the United States as Washington held out the possibility of "engagement" with Tehran if it changed tack in Iraq. Tehran's chief nuclear negotiator delivered a letter to the Saudi King from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a Saudi official said on Monday. The official said Iran wanted Saudi leaders to relay a goodwill message to Washington. Iran would like key regional U.S. ally Saudi Arabia to "help bring opinions together" between Iran and the United States, the official said, but gave no more details. The letter, which comes at a time of rising tension over Iran's role in Iraq and Tehran's nuclear programme, came hours before U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Saudi Arabia for talks expected to focus on Iraq and efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking. It also follows growing criticism in Iran of Ahmadinejad's approach of railing publicly against the West which more moderate politicians say has stoked fears abroad. As tension mounts, Iran's more pragmatic politicians from the liberal and moderate conservative camps have urged a more cautious Iranian approach and, heartened by the December polls, have accused Ahmadinejad of provoking confrontation. ends

ITN Source | January 16, 2007

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