Tehran, Feb. 14 (Reuters): Iranian foreign minister Kamal Kharrazi, his country accused by Washington of secretly developing nuclear arms, said today the Islamic Republic was ready to sell nuclear fuel to international buyers.

Iran rejects US charges it seeks nuclear weapons and insists it will enrich uranium only to the level needed to fuel power stations and not to higher, weapons-grade purity.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a country that has the potential to produce nuclear fuel, is ready to offer (that) fuel to international markets,” he told the official Irna news agency at a Tehran airport after a trip to Italy and the Vatican.

Britain, France and Germany last year persuaded Iran to suspend uranium enrichment and accept snap inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency, a UN watchdog.

Iran insists its suspension of uranium enrichment is a temporary goodwill gesture. Diplomats report Iranian failure to suspend all enrichment-related activities has annoyed France and Britain.