Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday the Islamic state would not discuss the nuclear issue in proposed talks with major powers, state television reported.
His comments will likely further deepen Western skepticism about the chances of a negotiated solution to the long-running stalemate over Iran’s nuclear program, which the United States and its European allies fear is a cover to build bombs.
"We have repeatedly said that our (nuclear) rights are not negotiable … We only hold talks to resolve international problems … to help the establishment of peace," Ahmadinejad said in a televised speech in central town of Qazvin.
Western diplomats have made clear they want Iran to address their concerns about its nuclear program in talks that the United States, France, Russia, Britain, Germany and China have offered Tehran later this month.
It would be the first such meeting in over a year and also the first since the United Nations, the United States and the European Union imposed tougher sanctions on the Iran in recent months.
But Iran is showing no sign of backing down in the row over nuclear work it says is for peaceful electricity production.
In a letter dated Nov. 9 and seen by Reuters, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, told European Union foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton that he was ready to meet in
Istanbul on Nov. 23 or Dec. 5.
A spokesman for Ashton confirmed the letter and said she would be discussing it with the six world powers, who have given her a mandate to hold talks with Jalili.
Ahmadinejad said Iran had always been in favor of talks held on a rational and logical basis: "But the Iranian nation will not let anyone to violate its rights … they should clearly announce their views about some international issues," Ahmadinejad said, referring to the major powers.
Ahmadinejad had listed conditions for any nuclear talks, including that the parties state their opinion on the reputed nuclear arsenal of Iran’s arch-enemy, Israel.
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