TEHRAN, Aug 26: Iran opened a world gathering of non-aligned nations on Sunday with an appeal to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

The weeklong gathering will be capped by a two-day summit of Non-Aligned Movement leaders.

Among those expected to attend include UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the prime minister of India, Manmohan Singh, whose nation remains an important Iranian oil customer as Tehran battles western sanctions over its nuclear programme.

The 120-nation Non-Aligned Movement, a holdover from the Cold War’s pull between East and West, is seen by members as an alternative forum for current world discussions.

Iran says it plans talks on a peace plan to end Syria’s civil war, but no opposition factions will attend the summit, apparently because of Tehran’s close bonds with Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi opened the gathering by noting commitment to a previous goal from NAM to remove the world’s nuclear arsenals within 13 years.

“We believe that the timetable for ultimate removal of nuclear weapons by 2025, which was proposed by NAM, will only be realised if we follow it up decisively,” he told delegates.

Mr Salehi criticised Israel for remaining outside the UN main treaty governing the spread of nuclear technology. Israel refused to discuss the full range of its military capabilities, but it is widely believed to have a nuclear arsenal.

Iran’s ally North Korea has withdrawn from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. North Korea’s Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun arrived in Tehran on Sunday to attend the meetings.

Outside the meeting site, Iran displayed three cars damaged by bomb blasts that Iran has blamed on agents from Britain, the US and Britain.

At least five members of Iranian scientific community, including nuclear experts, have been killed since early 2010 as part of a suspected covert war with its main foes.    Iran and proxies, in turn, have been linked by investigators to a series of attacks and plots on Israeli targets around the world.

Mr Salehi also complained about the perception of the `falling’ clout of the UN’s general membership at the expense of the “rising power of the UN Security Council,” led by permanent members US, Britain, France, Russia and China.

“Creating a more democratic Security Council should be considered an important part of UN reforms,” Mr Salehi told the gathering.

Even before the first session got under way, however, a dispute flared over Palestinian envoys.

Iranian officials said a political leader of Tehran’s ally Hamas has not been invited to the meeting in Tehran, contradicting Hamas claims that Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh was asked to come by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Hamas later on Sunday that Mr Haniyeh had dropped plans to attend.

The decision appeared aimed at avoiding a confrontation among Palestinians that could embarrass Hamas’ Iranian backers. The office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had warned he would not attend if rival Haniyeh also took part.

The militant Hamas controls Gaza, while Mr Abbas’ western-backed administration governs parts of the West Bank. Mr Abbas’ Foreign Minister Riad Malki also plans to travel to Tehran on Monday.—AP