Wade spoke after a lightning visit of Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Dakar on the last leg of a five-nation tour that has seen him visit Africa and Latin America.

‘I have already said that Senegal is against the proliferation of nuclear weapons... but in the case of Iran I note that the Iranian president... tells me that his country is simply developing uranium for peaceful means,’ Wade said, standing side-by-side with Ahmadinejad.

‘You know in law... he who accuses has the burden of proof. In the case of Iran nothing has been found up to now,’ Wade said.

Iran has been under intense scrutiny over its nuclear programme which Teheran insists is for civilian purposes such as power plants, but many in the West fear Iran also has military aims.

The Iranian leader did not evoke the nuclear programme in his short speech and journalists present did not get the chance to ask questions about it.

Instead Ahmadinejad said Iran would step up its aid to Senegal’s developing automotive industry, delivering one thousands tractors and helping with constructing fuel storage depots.

Senegal and Iran are already working together in the car industry with a plant in Senegal’s third city Thies assembling vehicles from parts made by Iran’s Khodro car maker.

Isolated from the international community Ahmadinejad has been seeking support from African and Latin American allies, visiting Gambia, Brazil, Bolivia and Venezuela.