Mohammad Javad Larijani, secretary general of Iran's High Council for Human Rights, said Iran wanted to break through Western reluctance to supply the Middle East with a much-needed energy source for when oil supplies dwindle.

"We are going to help other nations in the region, we are going to help anyone who wants," Larijani told journalists.

"And this is an area where we want to invest, we want to be the one who provides nuclear power plants and fuel for other countries," he added.

Iran announced last week that it intends to start producing higher enriched uranium for a medical research reactor, defying world powers who have warned of new sanctions unless Tehran halts its nuclear drive.

Western powers suspect Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons while Tehran insists it has a peaceful energy programme.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has launched a diplomatic drive in Gulf states to drum up support for Washington's bid for more sanctions on Iran.

Larijani argued that an Iranian nuclear capability would be "an asset for the region" and allow it to break a western "monopoly" over nuclear energy.

If countries were not allowed to sell the required fuel to Iran "we will make it ourselves," he added.

"We are ready to help Turkey, Saudis, the Emirates, Kuwait if they need. I am sure the western countries are not going to give to these states. Egypt is dying for this electricity," said Larijani.

"We can even collectively build fuel for our reactors -- this is a need, this is a must for our nations in the region."

"If we don't move today, 20 years from now we will beg on our knees in front of the western countries to sell to us," Larijani added.

The Iranian official said such a trade would be placed under the supervision of the UN nuclear watchdog.

However, Iran's transparency and cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have been strongly called into question in recent years.

Iran has also conducted low level enrichment of uranium in the central city of Natanz, in defiance of three sets of UN sanctions.

The country is a signatory to the nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, under which it agrees not to seek nuclear weapons or help others to obtain them.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday that Iran could suspend its work to enrich uranium for the research reactor if Tehran is supplied with nuclear fuel.

Larijani, a physicist by traning, is the brother of Ali Larijani, one of the country's former nuclear negotiators.

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