Iranian missile programme non-negotiable: Rouhani

, Aug 18:

's missile programme is non-negotiable and will not be discussed in the nuclear talks with the western powers, Iranian President

said here on Sunday.

In a meeting with Yukiya Amano, the visiting director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rouhani said Iran's missile capability is by no means negotiable at any level of talks, Xinhua reported.

"Iran is serious in its nuclear talks with the world powers and the IAEA, and it does not want anything beyond its right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes," he said.

To be transparent over its nuclear programme, Iran has provided the means for IAEA to observe its "peaceful" nuclear activities, he said, adding that "Iran will only agree with the legal observations of the UN nuclear watchdog within the framework of the NPT directive".

Amano arrived in Iran on Saturday night to discuss with the Iranian officials the continuation of cooperation between Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog within the "cooperation framework" signed earlier.

The IAEA chief's visit came ahead of the IAEA's Aug 25 deadline for Iran to provide the agency with a new set of information on its nuclear programme.

IANS