Won't succumb to US pressure on nuclear programme: Iran

"Iran will not give up or compromise its inalienable right to use nuclear energy, fuel cycle and enrichment," Iran's Permanent Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency Ali Asqar Soltaniyeh said at a press conference on the sidelines of the 16th Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran.

He said Iran is committed to its undertakings within the framework of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the International Atomic Energy Agency's statute, and said Tehran will continue its cooperation with the IAEA.

Way back in May, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had said that Tehran would stick hard to its nuclear rights under any kind of condition.

"They (the West) should know that this nation will not retreat even an iota from its inalienable rights," he had said.

Numerous posters here that have been set up for the NAM Summit also spell out the same message. The US and Western countries have accused Iran of pursuing a clandestine and dangerous nuclear weapons programme.

Iran says its nuclear programme is a peaceful drive to produce electricity so that the world's fourth-largest crude oil exporter can sell more of its oil and gas abroad.

Tehran also claims that it is pursuing a civilian path to provide power to the growing number of Iranian population, whose fossil fuel would eventually run dry. Iran is under four rounds of United Nations Security Council sanctions for turning down West's calls to give up its right of uranium enrichment.

The sanctions have hit Iran's oil export to countries including India which is finding it difficult to make payments for the crude and also shipping the same.

Given the situation that Iran is in, Tehran sees the hosting of the Summit of the 120-nation bloc as a major diplomatic victory.

The United States and Israel have alleged that Tehran will use the Summit to further its propaganda.