Iran calls for era of 'nuclear cooperation'

Iranian President says Tehran would defend its nuclear assets in line with national interests.

TEHRAN - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed Wednesday that his country would defend its nuclear facilities, while adding that Iran wanted to cooperate over its controversial nuclear drive, state media reported.

"Iran will defend its nuclear assets in line with its national interests," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying by the website of the state television channel.

But he added: "We have entered an era of nuclear agreement and cooperation.

"One of the important questions... is about nuclear cooperation at the international level, whether that be construction of nuclear power stations, reactors or even the presence of Iran in a nuclear fuel bank."

The president added: "Stopping the nuclear programme is now irrelevant and we have arrived at the point where we are cooperating at a top level with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and through it with countries who have this technology."

World powers have proposed a new plan to try and resolve a uranium enrichment standoff with Iran.

A deal proposed by IAEA, calls for Iran to ship most of its known low-riched uranium -- about 1,200 kilogrammes -- to Russia for further enrichment.

The material will then be turned into fuel by France and sent back to Iran for use in a research reactor, in a bid to prevent Tehran further enriching the uranium itself in a suspected drive to develop nuclear weapons.

Iran has still not responded to the proposals.

Russia, which has been an ally of Iran, urged Tehran again on Wednesday to give a prompt and positive response to the UN-drafted plan.

Iran insists it has the right to develop nuclear technology, which it says is aimed at generating energy for its growing population.

Although Iran has oil, it is still dependent on petrol imports to meet about 40 percent of domestic consumption.

Israel is the only country in the Middle Ease that actually has nuclear weapons.

Observers say due the strong Jewish and pro-Israel lobbies in the US and some European countries, these countries have taken a hypocritical stance in relation to nuclear issues in the region.

Tehran had repeatedly protested against Israeli and US war threats, warning them that it would retaliate in the event of any strike against Iran.