Iranian Vice President Reza Aghazadeh, who is also head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation (AEOI), told a meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog that Western countries "have always chosen the path of confrontation instead of the path of understanding and cordial relations toward the great nation of Iran."

His comments came one day after French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner warned that a war with Iran was possible over its nuclear programme.

"In practice, you have proved that you can not tolerate the addition of independent states and developing countries to the ongoing movmement of those seeking to achieve owndership of modern technology," Aghazadeh said.

"The great nation of Iran has recorded your discriminatory behavior and performance in its memory and will not forget," Aghazadeh said.

Western nations suspect Iran is trying to develop a nuclear bomb. Iran says its programme is peaceful.