Iran's president said Thursday his regime is ready for talks over its nuclear
capabilities, but he sent mixed signals on how much is open for negotiation and
suggested Tehran has the upper hand in its showdown with the West.
Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad points during a public gathering during his visit to
the city of Qazvin, 90 miles (150 kilometers) west of the capital Tehran,
Iran, Thursday, June 8, 2006. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday that Iran
was ready to discuss 'mutual concerns' over its controversial nuclear
program but claimed that the West gave in to Iran. Ahmadinejad did not say
whether Iran accepts a Western package of incentives aimed at enticing
Iran to suspend uranium enrichment to open the way for negotiations with
the United States and Europe. [AP] |
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad repeated Iran's position that uranium enrichment is an
untouchable national right, a clear jab at the West two days after Iran received
a package of economic and technological incentives to suspend the program.
But he also offered some signs of flexibility without specifically mentioning
the proposal. In a speech at an industrial city, he said Iran would hold
dialogue on "mutual concerns" with foreign powers, including the United States
if they took place "free from threats."
A report to the U.N. nuclear agency's board, meanwhile, said Iran slowed
enrichment over the past month but picked up the pace Tuesday, the day the
proposal for talks was delivered. There was no indication in the report,
obtained by The Associated Press, that the two events were linked.
While the slowdown in enrichment could reflect a decision by Iran to send a
positive signal before talks, a senior U.N. official said it also could be the
result of technical difficulties. The official agreed to discuss the
confidential report only if not quoted by name.
Ahmadinejad portrayed Iran as having forced Washington and its allies to
accept the Islamic regime's "greatness and dignity" and increasingly bend to its
will.
The shifting messages are seen as part of Iranian posturing before possible
talks, which could include the United States after a nearly 27-year diplomatic
freeze. Western nations, led by the U.S., worry Iran's uranium enrichment
technology could become the backbone for a nuclear arms program. Iran insists it
only seeks electricity-producing reactors.
"The nation will never hold negotiations about its definite rights with
anybody, but we are for talks about mutual concerns to resolve misunderstandings
in the international arena," Ahmadinejad told thousands of people in Qazvin,
about 60 miles northwest of Tehran.
In a major policy shift, the United States agreed last week to join France,
Britain and Germany in talks with Iran, provided Tehran suspends all suspect
nuclear activities. Tehran has welcomed direct talks with Washington, but
rejected any preconditions.
Ahmadinejad did not say whether Iran would accept the Western package of
incentives, which were presented Tuesday by the European Union's foreign policy
chief, Javier Solana.
Its contents have not been made public, but diplomats have said the package
includes economic rewards and a provision for some U.S. nuclear technology if
Iran halts enriching uranium - a major concession by Washington. World powers
also have suggested the length of the proposed enrichment suspension could be
subject to negotiation, diplomats said.
The offer, however, also contains the implicit threat of U.N. sanctions if
Iran remains defiant.
Iran's initial reaction to the package was relatively upbeat. But Tehran has
said it will only announce its position after carefully studying the package.
Solana said he expects a reply within "weeks."
In London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said the U.S. offer for direct
talks with Iran was a "big step forward." France's foreign minister, Philippe
Douste-Blazy, gave a similar assessment and added that "it is up to the Iranians
to respond."
Ahmadinejad's speech, broadcast live on Iranian state television, hit back
with hard-line rhetoric.
Iran's "enemies must know that whether the Iranian nation is going to hold
talks or not, whether you frown or not ... the Iranian nation will not retreat
from the path of progress and obtaining advanced technology one iota," he said.
He also praised Iran for standing up to "international monopolists," a
reference to the United States and its allies.
They have "been defeated in the face of your resistance and solidarity and
have been forced to acknowledge your dignity and greatness," Ahmadinejad told
the crowd.
In Vienna, Austria, the report circulated to the 35-nation board of the
International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran had slowed uranium enrichment in
recent weeks but also continued experiments with the technology.
The document also said U.N. inspectors had made little progress on clearing
up worrying aspects of Tehran's past nuclear activity.
Specifically, the three-page report said Iran still declined to clarify
Ahmadinejad's statements that his country had experimented with advanced
centrifuges that speed up enrichment,
Iran also refused to provide more information on a document showing how to
compress fissile material into the shape used for warheads, the report said.
Tehran also declined to allow interviews of nuclear officials linked to
potentially worrying finds by inspectors, it said.
The senior U.N. official, who is familiar with the report, said it contained
nothing that significantly hardened or diminished concerns about Iranian nuclear
ambitions since the last IAEA report in late April.
