A top Iranian lawmaker on Sunday criticized the chief of U.N. nuclear watchdog Mohammad ElBaradei for doubting Iran's claim that its nuclear program is for fully peaceful purposes.

"By adopting such a stance, ElBaradei could weaken the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and put the neutrality of the organization into question," Alaeddin Borujerdi, Majlis ( Parliament) National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman, was quoted as saying by the semi-official Mehr news agency.

ElBaradei, Director General of the IAEA, said in an interview with the U.S. Newsweek magazine on Sunday that he is not able to declare Iran's nuclear program is peaceful and Iran would only be a few months from building a nuclear bomb if it has nuclear material as well as the ambition of nuclear ammunition.

ElBaradei's comments indicated that "he is actually diverting from the IAEA's legal mandate", Borujerdi said.

IAEA should announce its positions in a neutral and non- politicized manner, he stressed.

Hardline Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday that Iran has legal right to peaceful nuclear fuel research, and that Iran has no intention to seek nuclear weapons.

He said that Iran would not be bullied even if its nuclear case was referred to the UN Security Council.

The European Union and the United States called for referral of Iran to the Council for possible sanctions after Iran resumed nuclear fuel research on Tuesday.

The United States accuses Iran of developing nuclear weapons secretly, a charge rejected by Iran.

Source: Xinhua