UNITED NATIONS - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Tuesday that Iran seeks "constructive engagement" with other countries based on mutual respect and common interest, pledging never to develop nuclear weapons.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani addresses the 68th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York, September 24, 2013.[Photo/Xinhua]

While addressing the UN General Assembly here for the first time as president, Rouhani said that Iran and other actors should pursue a political solution for the nuclear issue of Iran.

"Iran seeks constructive engagement with other countries based on mutual respect and common interest, and within the same framework does not seek to increase tensions with the United States," he said.

Speaking at the annual General debate which kicked off Tuesday, the newly-elected president noted that there is no issue or dossier that cannot be resolved through reliance on hope and prudent moderation, mutual respect, and rejection of violence and extremism.

"Iran seeks to resolve problems, not to create them," he said, pushing for the "rejection of violence and extremism."

"Commensurate with the political will of the leadership in the United States, and hoping that they will refrain from following the short-sighted interests of warmongering pressure groups, we can arrive at a framework to manage our differences," he said. " Equal footing, mutual respect and the recognized principles of international law" should govern these talks.

The Iranian leader argued that Iran's nuclear program is entirely peaceful. "Nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction have no place in Iran's security and defense doctrine, and contradict our fundamental religious and ethical convictions."

"Our national interests make it imperative that we remove any and all reasonable concerns about Iran's peaceful nuclear program, " said Rouhani.

Rouhani insisted that his country is "absolutely no threat" to the Middle East or the rest of the world. "In fact, in ideals as well as in actual practice, my country has been a harbinger of just peace and comprehensive security."

Meanwhile, he insisted on the implementation of Iran's rights and the imperative of international respect and cooperation, saying Iran "is prepared to engage immediately in time-bound and result-oriented talks to build mutual confidence and removal of mutual uncertainties with full transparency."