TEHRAN -- President Mohammad Khatami said here Saturday that Iran is still committed to its policy of detente in the face of pending threats to the world from warmongers.

Speaking at the Mehrabad Airport upon return from a two-nation European tour, the chief executive also said that Iran's call for peace and justice had struck a chord with the world despite obstacles to the Islamic Republic's peaceful overtures.

"The world today has heard Iran's call for the peace, which is based on justice and respect for all humans and this call is finding further enthusiasts," Khatami said.

"The humankind has been fed up with violence and war and the world conscience will never forgive warmongers and those who stoke up violence," he added, IRNA reported.

Khatami warned of pending threats to world peace, escalated by reports that the U.S. was mulling to use nuclear weapons against certain states, including Iran.

"Resorting to violence and spread of terrorism vis-a-vis reactions to those strategies has filled the world with threats to the extent that the most powerful country in the world today talks of using nuclear weapons," the Iranian president said.

The daily ****Los Angeles Times**** said recently that the White House had asked the U.S. military to draw up contingency plans to use nuclear weapons against China, Russia, Iraq, North Korea, Iran, Libya and Syria.

"Iran still follows its typical approach toward this situation and is committed to its policy of detente with world countries," Khatami said.

The Iranian president described the results of his five-day visit to Austria and Greece as successful, saying several memoranda of understanding on cooperation with those countries were signed.

"In this visit which featured a very busy schedule, including meetings and other activities, issues relating to bilateral cooperation, the region and the world were discussed," he said.

Vienna and Athens, Khatami said, intimated their interest to promote ties with Tehran.

"We welcome healthy and sound relations with other countries and take our steps in line with the objectives and interests of the noble Iranian nation and respect for the interests of the country with which we forge ties," he added.

Referring to the developments in the occupied Palestinian lands, President Khatami said that Iran will respect any decision taken by the Palestinians for peace in the occupied lands. He also reiterated Tehran's rejection of the racist Israeli regime.

"Any step for the realization of a real and just peace in the Middle East is positive and we will honor what the Palestinian people accept," he said.

President Khatami said, "Iran, according to its moral and political commitments, does not recognize Israel and we will never recognize a regime which is based on occupation and follows a policy of repression," he added.

Khatami said Europe is worried about the escalation of violence in the occupied lands, in the wake of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's hardline policies.

"Although the European Union recognizes the Israeli government, the union's call for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state is considered a step forward," he added.

Khatami reiterated Iran's call for the return of all Palestinian refugees to their homes and holding referendum in the occupied lands as the key to establishing real peace in Palestine.

President arrived in Tehran on Saturday noon at the end of a five-day European tour, which took him to Austria and Greece.

He was accorded welcome at the Mehrabad International Airport by Gholamhossein Mohammadi Golpayegani, the Head of the Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's Office, and other officials, including several ministers and MPs.

Khatami arrived in Vienna last Monday for a two-day visit to discuss ways of boosting bilateral relations between Iran and Austria.

He arrived in Athens on Wednesday from Vienna and met with several senior Greek officials, including President Stephanopoulos, Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Parliament Speaker Apostolos Kaklamanis.