Reaffirming its legitimate right to peaceful use of nuclear technology being a member of NPT, Iran on Saturday described international sanctions against it as "old political instrument" which will prove to be ineffective. "Being a member of the NPT, Iran has the legitimate right of peaceful use of nuclear technology. Iran has always carried out its nuclear programme under supervision of the IAEA," its Consul General in Mumbai Ali Mohammadi told reporters.

Remonstrating international interference in Iran, Mohammadi said," Iran has an independent foreign policy but foreign dominating powers interfere in our internal affairs in order to prevent the emergence of an independent country relying on its own ideas and beliefs."

The IAEA, he said, had repeatedly mentioned in all its reports that there was no deviation in peaceful use of nuclear technology in Iran. "However, countries with nonsense excuses, try to expand their sanction against Iran," he said, without naming the US.

The sanctions, he deplored, had come at a time when Iran had declared its readiness for constructive cooperation with the international community in peaceful use of nuclear technology.

"The recent Tehran Declaration jointly issued by Iran, Turkey and Brasilia has emphasized upon the NPT and swap of nuclear fuel and will create appropriate grounds for beginning of cooperation, especially in peacefeul use of nuclear energy," he said.