TEHRAN -- The additional protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty has not been properly introduced to Iran, an official said here Sunday.

Iran's permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency Ali Akbar Salehi made the remark in an exclusive interview with the Persian-language daily `Iran'.

"The additional protocol to the NPT has not been properly introduced to Iran. One could block the pressures and threats being exerted against Iran by using these means," he said.

Responding to a question as to whether any preconditions have been proposed for signing the protocol, Salehi stated, "Iran sets no official conditions to sign the additional protocol ,IRNA reported.

It would depend on the statesmen to take necessary decision after considering all aspects of the issue with national sovereignty and concessions which would be attained before signing the protocol," he stressed.

Pointing to bilateral talks between Iranian officials and the IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei during his recent visit to Iran, Salehi said IAEA legal experts will hold talks with Iranian legal experts on the additional protocol to clear the ambiguities raised by the Iranian government with their cooperation.

"We are seriously examining the additional protocol and will take necessary decision after precise investigation and taking into account national interests of our country at an appropriate time," Salehi added.

"Fortunately, Iran has a good record of cooperation with IAEA and ranks seventh or eighth among 135 countries entitled to technical assistance by the agency. Iran is receiving one million dollars worth of technical aid from IAEA annually."

"As the Islamic Republic of Iran's representative, I am quite pleased with the International Atomic Energy Agency and its management," he said.

Asked about the reasons behind differences of remarks by IAEA's former head Hans Blix and ElBaradei over the past years about Iran's nuclear activities, Salehi said, "This problem emerged last year but Iran never committed any offense. Rather there were some misunderstandings under influence of which the IAEA accused Iran of negligence. However, Iran has never been introduced as a violator of IAEA safeguards."

"We are currently in a position to use the additional protocol as a means to settle ongoing problems and to close politicized case of Iran's nuclear activities," the official said.

Iran started its nuclear activities with the support of western countries prior to the Islamic Revolution, Salehi added.

He recalled that IAEA's suspicions about Iran's nuclear ambitions were raised in August 2002 when members of the exiled opposition group Mujahedin Khalq Organization asserted that Iran was carrying out nuclear programs in Natanz and Arak.

"Two months before that, I had personally informed the IAEA chief, without mentioning the names of Natanz and Arak, of Iran's new undertakings to supply fuel for its nuclear plants," he said.

Salehi noted that ElBaradei refuted such claims by announcing that the agency was informed of the measures, adding the U.S. is turning a deaf ear to this simply because of its political intentions.

"An American told us in Colombia University in 2002 that the U.S. would continue to pressure Iran even if it would sign the additional protocol 100 times unless we reach a political understanding and then he added sarcastically that we will give two of our latest nuclear plants to Iran on that day," the official said.

Asked whether Iran has access to nuclear know-how, Salehi said, "This field of technology has no boundaries. Scientists are still trying to design new reactors. "We have made remarkable achievements in nuclear technology but there is still a lot more we need to do to develop our know-how and capacity through a trial and error procedure."

"We have made headway in enrichment and heavy water technologies but need to test our findings for several more years," Salehi noted, adding on a scale of 100, Iran is presently standing at 30 to 35 in terms of nuclear know-how.

On additional protocol to NPT, he said any international protocol or treaty would limit countries' national sovereignty, he said adding that "we have signed similar protocol on non-proliferation of nuclear arms".

Acceptance of international protocols would lead to restrictions which cannot be considered a violation of sovereignty of the signatory countries, Salehi concluded.