Iran rules out nuclear weapons

Iran's new president has used an interview on US television to stress that his country does not want to go to war with anyone, or build nuclear weapons.

President Hassan Rouhani's interview signals a significant change from the tone of his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and tonight the White House called his comments positive but said actions are more important than words.

ITV News Washington Correspondent Robert Moore reports:

Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said the tone of a letter he had received from President Barack Obama, part of a recent exchange of messages between the leaders, was "positive and constructive."

"It could be subtle and tiny steps for a very important future," Rouhani said in an interview with NBC News.

The cleric is due to address the UN General Assembly in six days, a speech that will be watched closely for new diplomatic features.

Iranian president Hassan Rouhani has vowed that his government will never develop nuclear weapons.

In an interview with NBC News days before he travels to New York for a UN appearance, the new Iranian president also insisted he had "complete authority" to negotiate a nuclear deal with the United States and other Western powers.

"We have time and again said that under no circumstances would we seek any weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, nor will we ever," Rouhani said.

Iran's President Rouhani said the tone of letter he received from US President Barack Obama over their ongoing dispute about developing chemical weapons was "positive and constructive".

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has told NBC News that his administration will "never develop nuclear weapons under any circumstances" and that he has full authority to make a deal with the West over his country's disputed nuclear programme.

The US network claimed that the president "struck a conciliatory tone" in his interview with its correspondent Ann Curry.