Teheran _ Iran's president-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed yesterday to pursue a peaceful nuclear programme and said Iran doesn't need America to make progress.

``Iran's peaceful technology is the outcome of the scientific achievements of Iran's youth. We need the peaceful nuclear technology for energy, medical and agricultural purposes and our scientific progress. We will continue this,'' the ultraconservative Mr Ahmadinejad told his first news conference since being elected on Friday. He said Iran's decision would not change. ``This is the final path we have taken,'' he said. The US alleges that Iran's nuclear programme is aimed at building atomic bombs.

I can see how nuclear power could help the people in Iran. I can also see the possiblity of them using the research and the materials from having their own nuclear plants to make bombs. But neither of those things are the issue for me. The part that bothers me is that the region is and has always been so unstable, what's to stop a disaster from happening? I live near 2 nuclear power plants and when I see them I always get creeped out. What will happen in a world torn by war if someone decides to raid the reactors or worse, bomb one? Even in peaceful environments these things are dangerous, just look at Chernobyl (Russia). Scary stuff.

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