Tehran must build nuclear confidence, says Rafsanjani

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, front-runner in Friday's presidential election, has said Iran must pursue confidence-building measures to reassure the West it has no military nuclear ambitions.

Tehran has suspended its uranium enrichment programme, which could produce fuel for power plants or weapons, under a November deal with France, Britain and Germany, which have offered Iran incentives to end and dismantle the project.

"Right now, our policy has focused on convincing Western countries and even America that our nuclear programme is solely peaceful," Rafsanjani told reporters late on Saturday.

"The most important issue is building confidence. We are determined to build confidence," he declared, without saying if he would change Iran's nuclear policy if he wins the election.

Rafsanjani, widely seen in Iran as the man with the best chance of repairing ties with the United States, hinted he could gain the support of hardline Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the last word on state policy.

"Regarding nuclear and other issues [US relations], I believe I am the closest person to the leader," he said.

"We have been intimates for over 50 years. Our ideas are so close that we will never have any disputes," he added.