Former prime minister says it is in his interests that Chilcot findings are published as soon as possible

Tony Blair has said he resents suggestions that he is delaying the publication of the Chilcot inquiry into the handling of the Iraq war, saying it is in his personal interest that the report be published as soon as possible.

The former prime minister said he did not know the reason for the delay. "I am not in charge of the inquiry or in charge of the government. All I can tell you is that it is not from me and I actually resent the suggestion.

"I have got as much interest as anyone in the inquiry publishing its findings and then I can go out and restate my case and defend my position."

It has been reported that the delay is due to a dispute over the publication of classified conversations between Blair and George Bush in the runup to the war. The Americans have opposed the publication of classified presidential material.

He said the inquiry had had all those documents for a long time. "Obviously there are a whole set of issues around confidentiality that have to be resolved. So far as I understand it, the government is resolving it."

The inquiry has said it has submitted 10 requests to the government to publish material, covering 200 cabinet-level discussions, 25 notes from Blair to Bush and more than 130 records of conversations between either Blair or Gordon Brown and Bush.

The Cabinet Office has previously said it "has been in a constructive dialogue with the inquiry team over recent months, with a clear view to meeting their declassification requests".

Two weeks ago David Cameron said he hoped the inquiry would publish its report by the end of the year, adding: "I think we shouldn't have to wait much longer".