MOSCOW, March 2 (RIA Novosti) - Iran will not oppose inspections by the UN's nuclear watchdog if its right to a civilian nuclear program is guaranteed, the country's top nuclear negotiator said Thursday.
"If the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] and some leading states guarantee Iran's inalienable right to pursue peaceful nuclear programs, there will be no obstacles to IAEA inspections," Ali Larijani told a news conference.
"We welcome any IAEA checks. Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons," Larijani said. He added that UN inspections and Iran's rights must be discussed as one issue.
Larijani also proposed creating a permanent security body in the Middle East.
"We have friendly relations with our neighbors, and believe we can establish a permanent security body in the region," Larijani said, adding this was only possible if the United States stopped creating tensions there.
Also on Thursday, Larijani accused the U.S. of attempting to block an initiative to open a joint uranium-enrichment venture with Russia. 
The American push to refer Iran to the UN Security Council is stalling the venture, he said, adding that the U.S. policy could scupper the Russian initiative.
Moscow hosted another round of talks Wednesday on enriching uranium for Iranian nuclear plants in Russia. The Russian delegation is headed by Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov.
Larijani said the U.S. did not like the idea of Russia coming up with such a constructive proposal, and was trying to seize the initiative.
However, he said that joint-venture proposals should address both "false and real" concerns expressed by the United States.
Russia's proposal to enrich uranium for Iran has widely been seen as a potential solution to the current international standoff over Iran's controversial nuclear research program, which recently resumed after a two-year moratorium.
