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ndonesia supports Iran's right to develop its nuclear program for peaceful purposes but asks the Islamic republic to uphold the commitment to nuclear non-proli-feration.

"Commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and the right to obtain nuclear power for peaceful purposes go hand in hand. You cannot take one and exclude the other. They are integrated responsibilities and rights, not one at the expense of another," Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of a function to commemorate the National Day of Iran on Thursday.

Iran is facing new UN sanctions following a stalemate in negotiations with the West, over sending uranium to be enriched abroad to develop higher grade material for its nuclear reactor. The West has accused Tehran of secretly developing a nuclear weapon, which has been rebuked by Iran, saying its nuclear programs are for medical and energy purposes.

Marty said Indonesia would seek opportunities to bridge the hostilities between Iran and the West.

"We have good relations with both Iran and the West. We believe both Iran and West want to establish good relations with each other and Indonesia can help bridge communications between them," he said.

The UN nuclear watchdog censured Iran last year for its secretive nuclear programs through a round of voting that saw members of the New Aligned Movement (NAM) divided over the new resolution.

Malaysia voted against the new censure but other NAM members such as Egypt, Pakistan and South Africa abstained and India voted in favor.

Indonesia did not cast a vote as it was not a member of the 35-nation board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency *IAEA*. But Indonesia voted in favor of a resolution against Iran in 2007 at the UN Security Council over IAEA reports that Iran was not cooperative. In 2008, Indonesia abstained when the UNSC deliberated a similar resolution.

"The division within the NAM on the issue of a nuclear Iran well reflects the complexity of the issue. Each country took a position that represented its national interest. Indonesia has been consistent in terms of wanting to see Iran comply fully with international commitment," Marty said.

Rezlan Ishar Jenie, the foreign ministry's director general for multilateral affairs, said Indonesia had acted on the Iran issue based on a report by the IAEA, although admitted "the report was not conclusive in nature" and therefore resulted in different positions in voting.

"The report is not conclusive in terms that it does not conclude with a confirmation that Iran's nuclear program was not aimed for military purposes. That's why Iran needs to be cooperative to clarify suspicions," he said.

Dewi Fortuna Anwar, a researcher with the Indonesian Institute of Science, called for global recognition of Iran's right to develop nuclear power for peaceful use, including with who it would cooperate with to develop its civilian nuclear programs.