TEHRAN, March 10 (Xinhuanet) -- Iran's chief nuclear negotiatorHassan Rowhani on Thursday described as "successful" the ongoingnuclear talks between Iran and the European Union (EU).

   "Our negotiations with the EU on the country's nucleartechnology have been successful so far," Rowhani was quoted by theofficial IRNA news agency as saying in the southern city of Shiraz.

   Rowhani reiterated that Iran's nuclear program was solely aimedat power generation, terming the accusation of seeking nuclearweapons as "malicious propaganda."

   "The enemies of the Islamic republic, with their maliciouspropaganda against us, have created fear among the worldcountries," Rowhani said.

   "Basically, we are not after a conquest; rather, we are afterfriendship, good neighborliness as well as detente and we believewars, animosity and skirmishes lead the country to backwardness,"Rowhani added.

   The negotiator also sniffed at the US threat of referring Iran'snuclear case to the UN Security Council.

   "The Americans, since the opening of Iran's nuclear dossier overthe past one year or so, have realized that they cannot achievetheir desired outcome regarding Iran's nuclear energy (program)with threats and sanctions," Rowhani said.

   Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi on Tuesdayvowed to "strongly stand against" pressures.

   "We hope this will not be the last round of negotiations andthey will continue, but this depends on how the Europeans behave,"Asefi said.

   Iran and the EU on Tuesday started a new round of talks onTehran's nuclear program.

   The two sides held three rounds of talks but failed to reachagreement on key issues.

   The EU insisted that Iran should absolutely provide "objectiveguarantees" about the claimed peaceful nature of the country'snuclear activities.

   Iran has also been under increasing pressures to be moretransparent in the cooperation with the International Atomic EnergyAgency.

   The United States accused Tehran of developing nuclear weaponssecretly and urged to refer Iran's nuclear case to the UN SecurityCouncil.  Enditem