Iran on Thursday sharply criticized the new US envoy to the United Nations for making "baseless allegations" about Tehran's ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons, dpa reported.
US Ambassador Susan Rice said at a UN Security Council session on the situation in Iraq that her government would devote more energy towards halting Iran's nuclear ambitions, once it withdrew its troops from Iraq.
The Iranian mission to the UN issued a statement saying, "It is unfortunate that, yet again, we are hearing the same tired, unwarranted and groundless allegations that used to be unjustifiably and futilely repeated by the previous US administration."
Rice said the United States "will seek an end to Iran's ambitions to acquire an illicit nuclear capacity, and its support for terrorism."
In its statement Iran said that its nuclear programme "has been, is, and will remain, absolutely peaceful and Iran has never tried nor will ever try to acquire nuclear weapons."
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN's nuclear watchdog, said in a report released last week that Iran has produced 1,010 kilograms of low-enriched uranium. Non-proliferation experts estimate that 1,000 to 1,700 kilograms are theoretically needed for use in an atomic weapon, although the material would have to be further enriched.
Iran also claimed it was a victim of terrorism and Rice's charge of Iranian support of terrorism was "equally baseless and absurd."
Rice said that Washington will urge Iran and Syria to become "constructive regional actors" and the US will deepen ties in the region to pursue a "broad and sustained peace."
She also said the US would pursue a comprehensive strategy to address "the security needs of Israel, the legitimate economic and political aspirations of the Palestinian people."
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