Europe making mistake siding with US -Ahmadinejad

BERLIN, May 28 (Reuters) European countries are making a mistake by siding with the United States in the dispute over Iran's nuclear programme and will suffer because of it, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told a German magazine.

He said Iran did not need nuclear weapons and criticised a ''propaganda machine'' directed at him from the West, telling Der Spiegel magazine in a rare interview published today that European nations risked losing their standing in the region.

''We wonder why some European countries are against us,'' Ahmadinejad said. ''They know that our activities are peaceful.'' ''It is in the interest of the Europeans to stand on the side of Iran. But if they stand up against us, then they will carry the damages from that. Because our nation is strong and determined.'' Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil producer, says it has a right to a civilian nuclear programme, and denies US accusations it is trying to build an atomic bomb.

''I'd like to emphasise that Iran does not need any nuclear weapons,'' Ahmadinejad said. ''Because we are honest and obey the laws, we stand for what we say. We are not cheats. We only want to exercise our legitimate rights. Besides, I never threatened anyone. That is part of the propaganda machine aimed at me.'' But Der Spiegel said Ahmadinejad did not give a direct answer on several occasions to the question: ''Do you want nuclear weapons for Iran?'' ''We find this system of rules where a few countries can force their will upon the rest of the world discriminatory and unstable,'' Ahmadinejad said, adding Iran complied with demands from UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

REUTERS SY PM1733