London, May 21 (IANS) Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has made the startling claim that European countries were "using special equipment to force clouds to dump" water on their continent as part of a plot to cause drought in Iran, it was reported here.

Ahmadinejad accused Western countries of attempting to "cause drought" in his country by using equipment to drain the clouds of water, the Daily Telegraph reported.

"Western countries have designed plans to cause drought in certain areas of the world, including Iran," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying.

He added that "according to reports on climate, whose accuracy has been verified, European countries are using special equipment to force clouds to dump" water on their continent.

"They prevent rain clouds from reaching regional countries, including Iran," Ahmadinejad claimed.

The media report said that he made the claim at the inauguration of a dam in Markazi province.

The Iranian president also spoke of an article that said "droughts in some regions spanning from Turkey and Iran to east of Asia are predicted for the next 30 years".

"The regions... include countries whose culture and civilisation frighten the West," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying.