Reza Aghazadeh, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said Iran wants to develop nuclear power plants in cooperation with neighboring Arab countries in the Persian Gulf region.

For years Iran has been called on to end its nuclear efforts.

Several Arab countries have shown some interest over the last couple of years in developing their own nuclear power program. Now Iran is proposing those nations help it build light-water reactors.

"Iran is ready to provide very soon a comprehensive plan for the proposal, if it were approved in generalities by the Persian Gulf littoral states," Aghazadeh told the Chinese news agency Xinhua.

Iran said it is building its first nuclear reactor in the city of Bushehr with help from Russia. It is also building a 40-megawatt developmental research reactor in the city of Arak.