Ahmadinejad bars talks on Iran’s ‘undeniable’ nuke rights

“What we have announced is cooperation in two parts: cooperation on peaceful use of clean atomic energy and preventing a proliferation of atomic weapons.”

Ahmadinejad also said that Iran was ready for talks over what he called a “fair and logical” framework,and that he was willing to hold a public meeting with US President Barack Obama,in the presence of mass media.

He suggested that this could be held at the UN General Assembly in New York later this month. Iran is due to present a set of proposals for talks with world powers which have offered talks over the Islamic republic’s controversial nuclear programme and threatened further sanctions if negotiations fail.

“Our package of proposals is in response to their request of resuming talks,” added Ahmadinejad,who said earlier today that Iran is ready for “fair and logical” talks with world powers.

Western powers,particularly the United States and its Middle East ally Israel,suspect Tehran of pursuing efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. Iran insists that its programme is purely peaceful.

Ahmadinejad told European countries and the United States to “climb down from fragile glass towers,” “change their attitude” towards Iran and “recognise nations’ rights.”

“They will not benefit from continuing previous policies. But we are prepared for both states,” he said. The UN atomic watchdog,the International Atomic Energy

Agency,begins a week-long meeting in Vienna later today expected to focus on allegations that Iran conducted experiments aimed at making a nuclear bomb.