His tough comments came just a week ahead of scheduled talks with the European Union, which is seeking guarantees Tehran will not use its atomic energy drive as a means of acquiring nuclear weapons.

"Be certain that we will not back away one iota from our legitimate nuclear rights," Ahmadinejad said in a speech carried live on state television.

"We have experienced your attitude and we will no longer be duped by your lying propoganda," he added.

All rights reserved. � 2005 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.