TEHRAN -- Iran on Monday hailed Russia's position to call for making the whole Middle East region free from nuclear weapons, stressing that the yesterday remarks by President Vladimir Putin to the effect illustrated an exact attitude, IRNA reported.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid-Reza Assefi said Iran agrees with Putin's remarks arguing that this was because the Islamic Republic had first taken the initiative to raise the issue and is still persisting on it.

He confirmed Putin's remarks that the economic relations between Tehran and Moscow should not be used as a lever by others, stressing that Iran's nuclear programs are meant for peaceful purposes.

"Iran's nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes, and the Russian officials have in practice testify to this," Assefi told reporters at his regular briefing. "And President Putin's remarks fall within the same framework."

Spokesman also put up a serious challenge to the U.S., inviting American firms to participate in the Islamic Republic's nuclear programs if Washington had serious qualms about Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

"I don't think America is worried about Iran's nuclear programs; if they are, we invite them to come and participate in these programs and construct the facilities," he said.

Washington has turned up the heat against Tehran in recent weeks, accusing Iran of pursuing an aggressive nuclear program and harboring suspected terror Al-Qaeda elements.

The Islamic Republic rejects the charges. Iran says its nuclear programs are transparent and peaceful, aimed at producing 7,000 megawatts of electricity in the next 20 years when the country's oil and gas reserves become overstretched.

"Most of these statements are pretexts they (Americans) had told the former (Pahlavi) government to come to Iran and build atomic plants," Assefi said.

"We have clearly said we want the nuclear know-how for peaceful objectives. We have other concerns about the country's reconstruction and development and there is no room for nuclear arms in our programs," he added.

The official renewed Tehran's preconditions for joining the additional protocol of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to which Iran is a party, asking Western companies to lift their sanctions against the country's nuclear programs.

"The Additional Protocol is a separate issue. It must be confirmed first how the sanctions have affected us while we are a member of the NPT. They (Western countries) must help us achieve the nuclear know-how instead of putting restrictions," Assefi said.

He also condemned a recent ruling by a U.S. court declaring Tehran liable for a 1983 bombing of Marine barracks in Lebanon. He stressed that the issue was a repetition of similar measures by Washington against the Islamic Republic.

"The court ruling was not unprecedented. We have previously said that the Islamic Republic was not involved in the incident, and that the allegations in that connection are provoked by the Zionists," Assefi stressed..

He said U.S. courts are engaged in political activities instead of practicing legal issues, adding that their verdicts are thus not credible.

"It seems that certain circles in the U.S. are beginning to resort to whatever means they can to increase pressure against Iran and to further push forward their hostile policies against the Iran, even if this cost the credibility of the U.S. judicial apparatus," he said. "Such measures will bear no fruit, but will only discredit the U.S. judicial system."

A U.S. federal judge on Friday found Iran liable for the 1983 bombing of a U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut which claimed the lives of 241 troops.

On the relations between Iran and the European Union, Assefi said both Tehran and the EU are determined to continue bilateral talks with the aim of forging new strategies to strengthen their economic and political relations.

"The two sides are currently holding economic talks and have agreed to institutionalize their ties and draw up a new framework for economic and political relations touching all areas," he said. Assefi termed Iran's current negotiations with the European Union "very constructive, transparent and positive," adding that "Of course, the two sides have different views in some cases which is quite natural."

"The two sides decided to activate their parliaments due to the very sensitive role they play in support of their governments and social institutions," he added.

"An initial understanding has been reached between Iran and the European Union to come up with a commercial agreement and the two sides believe the agreement would meet their mutual iterests," he said.

In addition to the political will shown by both governments, any such agreement would necessitate debates on its technical aspect which should not be ignored, Assefi noted.

A fourth round of Iran-EU talks for a possible Trade and Cooperation Agreement is ongoing and seeing progress, said the spokesman, reiterating that the two sides are determined to establish serious and long-term ties.