The Iranian President has rejected western accusations regarding Iran's newly disclosed nuclear facility, saying the plant is perfectly legal.

Speaking at a press conference at the Intercontinental Hotel in New York, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the country's second nuclear plant is not in breach of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) rules adding that it is open for inspection by the agency.

"According to the IAEA rules, countries must inform the Agency 6 months ahead of the gas injection in their uranium enrichment plants. We have done it 18 months ahead and this should be appreciated not condemned," the president noted.

The Iranian President said Iran does not feel worried because the enrichment facility operates in line with IAEA regulations adding those who brand an under-construction nuclear enrichment facility as 'secret' will regret the remarks they made.

In line with its guarantee to the IAEA for clarity on its nuclear activities, Iran informed the UN nuclear watchdog on September 21 that it was constructing a second plant for uranium enrichment.

"I can confirm that on September 21, Iran informed the IAEA in a letter that a new pilot fuel enrichment plant was under construction in the country," agency spokesman Marc Vidricaire said on Friday.

According to the spokesman, the letter underlined that the enrichment level in the plant would only be up to 5 percent.

Uranium, the fuel for a nuclear power plant, can be used for military purposes only if enriched to high levels of above 90 percent.

The UN nuclear watchdog in its previous reports had confirmed that Iran -- in its first enrichment facility in Natanz -- only managed to enrich uranium-235 to a level "less than 5 percent."

"(French President Nicolas) Sarkozy and (UK Prime Minister Gordon) Brown are not important for us and what they say does not matter but we think President Obama's accusations are against what he said in his speech at the United Nations," President Ahmadinejad said.

Ahmadinejad also said the news of the existence of the nuclear facility could not affect talks between Iran and the 5+1 group in October.

The newly announced nuclear site is being built near the Iranian city of Qom, some 160 kilometers south of Tehran.

RZS/SS/MMA/DT