Iran says US misjudges world view on nuclear row

TEHRAN, Nov 8 (Reuters) Iran's most powerful figure, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said today the United States was wrong to think the world opposed Tehran's nuclear programme.

Major powers are currently split over a draft UN Security Council sanctions resolution drawn up by Britain, France and Germany that seeks to put pressure on Iran to curb its nuclear programme. The United States wants to beef up the text, but Russia wants it watered down.

''The Americans open their mouths and shut their eyes as usual, and they say whatever comes to their mouths: 'The world opposes Iran's uranium enrichment'. No, you do not know the world, and you do not see it,'' Khamenei said in a speech in the city of Semnan, east of the capital Tehran.

Iran strongly rejects Western suspicions that its efforts to enrich uranium are a veiled attempt to build an atomic arsenal, and says it has the right to peaceful nuclear technology.

''The majority of countries of the world believe that nuclear energy should be freed from the monopoly of a few self-proclaimed powers,'' he said in the speech, broadcast on state television.

Divisions among the five permanent Security Council members, plus Germany, mean that negotiations over the draft are likely to drag out throughout this month.

The sanctions seek to punish Iran for refusing to suspend work on uranium enrichment, as an Aug 31 Security Council resolution demands.

The European draft demands nations prevent the sale and supply of equipment, technology and financing contributing to Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Russia instead wants this provision to focus only on ''enrichment-related and reprocessing activities'', heavy-water reactors and the development of ''nuclear weapon delivery systems''.

The United States wants the language of the European text strengthened to state specifically that the Iranian nuclear programme is a threat to international peace and security.

REUTERS SSC RAI1636