Ahmadinejad says Iran not headed for war with US

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran did not need nuclear weapons and his country was not heading for war with the United States, according to a television interview broadcast yesterday.

Asked whether Iran's goal was to obtain a nuclear bomb, he said the answer was a "firm no", according to a transcript of his interview with CBS's 60 Minutes recorded on Thursday in Tehran.

"You have to appreciate we don't need a nuclear bomb. We don't need that. What need do we have for a bomb?" he said.

The US accuses Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of its civil nuclear programme. Iran denies both allegations.

Asked whether Iran and the US were heading towards conflict over Tehran's nuclear ambitions, he said: "It's wrong to think that Iran and the US are walking towards war. Who says so? Why should we go to war? There is no war in the offing."

Officials of the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany met on Friday for what they called "serious and constructive" talks about new UN Security Council sanctions aimed at trying to force Iran to halt its uranium enrichment activities.

Mr Ahmadinejad, who arrived in New York yesterday for the UN General Assembly, reiterated Iran's position that its nuclear programme is purely peaceful.

"Our plan and programme is very transparent," he said. "In political relations right now, the nuclear bomb is of no use. If it was useful, it would have prevented the downfall of the Soviet Union. If it was useful, it would resolved the problem the Americans have in Iraq.

"The time of the bomb is passed."