Iran today expressed regret it had been thrown out of an international arms fair in Malaysia last week even after removing items deemed to break United Nations resolutions.

Iran's display at the fair in Kuala Lumpur was shut down when Malaysian deputy premier Najib Razak said that the host nation would not allow "lethal and offensive equipment in violation of the UN resolutions" to be put on show.

Iran today complained that organisers of the Defence Services Asia exhibition had refused to let its display re-open despite the controversial items being removed.

"After an objection raised by the exhibition organiser, the Iranian delegation decided to fulfil the Malaysian demands," the Iranian embassy in Kuala Lumpur said in a statement.

"But regretfully... the organiser insisted on the closure of the Iranian stands as the only solution."

Contentious missile systems

The statement added that the contentious missiles and missile systems were in fact scale models "that could only be used for presentation."

It said Iran regarded the UN security council resolutions on its "peaceful nuclear activities as unjust and illegitimate."

Malaysian officials closed the Iranian stand on the second day of the four-day show.

"Unfortunately... they displayed equipment that clearly contravenes the UN resolution such as missiles and missile systems," Najib, who is also defence minister, told reporters last week.

Last year, the Security Council imposed a series of sanctions against Iran to punish Tehran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, which many fear Iran could use to make nuclear weapons.