Before leaving for New York, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told “60 Minutes” that his nation was not going to war with the U.S. and that the nuclear bomb had outlived its usefulness: “If it was useful, it would have prevented the downfall of the Soviet Union; if it was useful, it would resolved the problem the Americans have in Iraq. … The time of the bomb is passed.”

CBS News:

SCOTT PELLEY: At the moment, our two countries may very well be walking down the road to war. How do you convince President Bush, how do you convince other nations in the West …

AHMADINEJAD: What two parties are walking towards war?

PELLEY: Iran, the United States, Western countries. France this week …

AHMADINEJAD: Who says that?

PELLEY: France this week said that war might be indicated. How do you convince these Western powers that you are not pursuing a bomb?

AHMADEINEJAD: You haven’t read the latest news, I have to say. It’s wrong to think that Iran and the U.S. are walking towards war. Who says so? Why should we go to war? What reasons are there for the two countries to go to war? We have a logic which we have announced for some time now. We very much oppose the behavior of the U.S. administration. We think it’s wrong. And we are saying what we feel, and you are free to say what you feel. And people have a right to choose. Why should we go to war over that? If having said that is a part of a psychological warfare plot. The American people are well familiar with these plots. You shouldn’t make the American people afraid needlessly. There’s no war in the offing. And also I think that certain American officials do not want friendly relations between the two countries and the citizens of the two countries to visit each other. Last year we requested for a direct flight between the two countries because we want to promote trade, promote cultural activities, and also people-to-people contact. But the American government opposed that. There is no war in the offing. Again, this is psychological warfare. If you have differences of opinions, you can use logic to resolve your differences.

Read more and watch the interview