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Ban said he also told Ahmadinejad during Friday's meeting that Iran needs to open all its facilities to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, and be completely transparent.

"I made it quite clear that when they argue that their nuclear facilities are genuinely for peaceful purposes the burden of proof is on their side," he said.

Ahmadinejad said Friday his country has complied with requirements to inform the IAEA six months before a new enrichment facility becomes operational, and was giving 18 months notice.

Iran has agreed to allow the IAEA to inspect the new facility. At the news conference Tuesday, Ban was asked why he didn't wait for the U.N. nuclear agency to issue its report, as Ahmadinejad said.

"To be transparent and credible, when you have such an intent to build facilities, they should have informed - notified the IAEA long time before, not just before everything would be completed," Ban replied.