"In principle ... we in the state of Kuwait do not accept any form of interference in our sovereignty," Jassem al-Khorafi told reporters in parliament.

US Ambassador to Kuwait Richard LeBaron had strongly blasted the Islamic Republic in a lecture at Kuwait's military academy last week, accusing it of supporting terror and planning to produce nuclear weapons.

Tehran denies both accusations and says its nuclear programme is for purely peaceful means which it has the right to pursue.

Washington has repeatedly accused Tehran of seeking to produce nuclear weapons, and LeBaron said "the GCC should request more than just assurances that Iran's nuclear intent is peaceful. It should insist that Iran immediately cease and dismantle its fissile material production effort."

"As we respect the views of others and we do not interfere in their internal affairs, I hope and insist that others should not interfere in our affairs and should not move their conflicts with other countries to Kuwait," the Kuwaiti parliamentary speaker said.

A text of the closed-doors lecture was released by the US embassy earlier this week during a two-day official visit by Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi to the emirate, which is a staunch ally of Washington.

"I blame the defense ministry for inviting the US ambassador to deliver such lectures," Khorafi said and added that no foreign ambassador should be invited to deliver lectures at state establishments.

"The duties of ambassadors are well-known and do not involve raising issues related to Kuwait's sovereignty," he said.

In the lecture, LeBaron accused Iran of "placing its neighbours, including Kuwait, in harm's way by choosing to pursue nuclear weapons instead of the path of peace."

"The GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) has, within its power, the ability to act together to block this threat," the ambassador said.

The Kuwaiti government, which maintains close diplomatic and military ties with the United States, has not publicly criticised the US envoy.

But the defense ministry said in a brief statement that LeBaron remarks did not reflect it's views.

In February 1991, a US-led international force liberated Kuwait of seven months of Iraqi occupation. The oil-rich emirate also served as a launchpad for the US invasion of Iraq that toppled Saddam Hussein in April 2003.

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