Copenhagen, Dec 17 :Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Thursday accused the US of hindering his country's efforts to combat climate change by opposing its nuclear programme.

"American leaders and their friends emphasise continued increase of fossil fuel production, whilst they resort to various coercive methods to hinder development of new technologies intended to promote the use of renewable and clean energy," Ahmadinejad said at a UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

The US House of Representatives Tuesday voted to enact sanctions targeting gasoline imports to Iran by penalizing foreign companies that sell refined petroleum to the Islamic state.

The legislation is designed to increase pressure on Iran to come clean about its nuclear activities, which the West suspects is intended to build a bomb. Iran insists the programme is purely for civilian purposes.

Speaking in Copenhagen, the Iranian president said "all countries must gain access to new technologies to diversify their energy sources and be able to use clean and renewable energy such as wind, solar, sea tide, geothermal and nuclear energies".

Ahmadinejad also said his country stands ready to "share the result of research and experiences on the use of clean energy with other countries".

This would be achieved through the establishment of a bank or a "technology centre" in China or in another developing country, the Iranian president said. (DPA)