LONDON ( CNN ) -- Iran offered to stop attacking coalition troops in Iraq nearly four years ago in an attempt to get the West to accept Tehran 's nuclear program , a British diplomat told the BBC in an interview aired Saturday . John Sawers , British ambassador to the U.N. , told BBC of Iran approaching Western nations with offer . `` The Iranians wanted to be able to strike a deal whereby they stopped killing our forces in Iraq in return for them being allowed to carry on with their nuclear program -- 'We stop killing you in Iraq , stop undermining the political process there , you allow us to carry on with our nuclear program without let or hindrance , '' said John Sawers , now the British ambassador to the United Nations , in the documentary , `` Iran and the West : Nuclear Confrontation . '' The United States and other Western nations believe Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program , but Iran says it is developing nuclear capability to produce energy . Iran also has been accused of sponsoring terrorists and supplying weapons to Iraqi insurgents . The latter prompted a warning from the United States that such behavior by Tehran `` would be regarded by us as enemy action , '' Philip Zelikow , a State Department counselor , told the BBC . Then , Iran began shopping its offer around Europe , Sawers said . Sawers , Britain 's political director at the time , reveals the behind-the-scene talks from 2005 -- when roadside bombing against British and American soldiers in Iraq peaked -- were held with British , French and German diplomats at hotels in London , Paris and Berlin . `` And then we 'd compare notes among the three of us , '' Sawers told the BBC . The British government dismissed the offer and Iran 's nuclear enrichment program restarted once again , the BBC reports . Iran has denied offering any such deal and reiterated its position Saturday . `` Iran 's high officials have repeatedly stated that Iran has not had any part in attacks against American and British forces , and there is no evidence to support these baseless accusations , '' Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said , according to the semi-official Mehr News Agency . Interviews with top brass from former President Bush 's administration and British envoys indicate that Iran and the West had neared agreements several times in the past few years , but never reached success . Nick Burns , who was in charge of the Bush administration 's State Department policy with Iran , said taking a tough approach with Iran did n't seem effective . `` We had advocated regime change , '' Burns told the BBC . `` We had a very threatening posture towards Iran for a number of years . It did n't produce any movement whatsoever . '' The documentary aired a day after the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security released a report stating that Iranian scientists have reached `` nuclear weapons breakout capability . '' The report analyzed the finding of the U.N. 's nuclear watchdog agency , the International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ) . However , an IAEA official who asked not to be named cautioned against drawing such dramatic conclusions from the data , saying Iran 's stock of low-enriched uranium would have to be turned into highly enriched uranium ( HEU ) in order to be weapons-grade material . That has n't been done , the official said . Meanwhile , Iran 's relationship with the West continues to be strained , though both sides have indicated interest in holding direct talks . President Obama , in his first prime-time news conference held earlier this month , said the United States is looking for opportunities for `` face-to-face '' talks with Iran after an absence of diplomatic ties for nearly three decades . `` There 's been a lot of mistrust built up over the years , so it 's not going to happen overnight , '' he said . And Iran 's powerful parliament speaker and former nuclear negotiator , Ali Larijani , has called the Obama administration `` an exceptional opportunity for Americans . ''
Iran threatened diplomats with offer nearly four years ago , BBC told . Diplomat : Iran offered to stand down in Iraq if Iraq would accept its nuke ##s . Iran denies involvement in fighting in Iraq , says allegations are ` ` baseless '' Despite strained relations , the administration has hinted at direct talks .