Iran's chief nuclear negotiator and presidential candidate Saeed Jalili pledged not to retreat from the Islamic republic's nuclear rights if he is elected as the president, Press TV reported Saturday.

Jalili, who is also the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said that he will pursue a policy of resistance against Western pressures if he wins in the upcoming presidential election slated for June 14, according to Tehran Times daily.

On Thursday, Jalili said in Turkey's Istanbul that Iran would never abandon its right to enrich uranium and was ready to continue talks with world powers at any time.

He made the remarks after his meeting with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Iran is under the West's political and economic sanctions due to its controversial nuclear program. The West suspects that Iran's nuclear activities may have military motives, while the latter stresses that they are for civilian use only.