Iran reiterates need for nuke energy

Tehran: Iran's top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that the country's oil and gas reserves will dry up eventually, thereby justifying Tehran's need to produce nuclear fuel so the country would not have to 'beg the West' for it, state-run television reported.

"Oil and gas reserves won't last forever. If a nation doesn't think of producing its future energy needs, it will be dependent on domination-seeking powers," the television quoted Khamenei as saying.

Iran produces 4.2 million barrels of oil per day, the second largest exporter of crude among the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), and possesses the world's second biggest natural gas reserves in the world.

The country's recoverable oil reserves are estimated at 137 billion barrels, or 12 per cent of the world's overall oil reserves. Iran's gas reserves are believed to stand at 28 trillion cubic metres.

The United States and its European allies have disputed Iran's nuclear programme — which Tehran says is only for fuel-producing purposes, and not nuclear bomb-making.

Iranian argues it needs to develop other sources of energy for when oil reserves run out.

Iran's officials have also said they see no reason why some of mankind's most advanced technology should be off limits to their scientists.

The United States accuses Iran of using its civilian nuclear programme as a cover to secretly produce nuclear weapons. Iran has rejected the charges.

Tehran plans to produce 20,000 megawatts of electricity through nuclear power plants in the next two decades.

Khamenei said those who say Iran doesn't need nuclear technology are 'shallow-minded', and reiterated that the country would 'seriously pursue' its nuclear activities.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said last week that Iran has achieved full proficiency in nuclear technology.

However, the president said the nation's nuclear advances will only gradually be made public, in the course of the next two months.

Last February, Iran announced it has enriched uranium for the first time using two cascades of 164 centrifuges, a sophisticated technology that can be used to produce nuclear fuel or materials for a nuclear bomb.