Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves to his supporters before speaking at a ceremony to mark the death anniversary of the Islamic Republic founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini at Khomeini's shrine in southern Tehran June 3, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    TEHRAN, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that the Islamic Republic would not step back on its path to develop nuclear programs.

    "If Iran takes one step back, the arrogant powers in the world would take one step forward," state television quoted Khamenei as saying in a sermon.

    "It is totally wrong and baseless to think that any retreat from our righteous positions would change the policies of the arrogant powers," the Iranian supreme leader said.

    Khamenei's remarks came just three days ahead of a deadline for his country to answer a package of incentives aimed at persuading it to suspend uranium enrichment activities.

    Talks were held in Geneva, Switzerland, on July 19 between Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana in the presence of U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns and senior diplomats from China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany.

    In the meeting, Iran gave no clear answer to the package of incentives for suspending its nuclear program, though the country was expected to make a response within two weeks.

    On June 14, Solana handed the offer of incentives to the Iranian authorities on behalf of UN Security Council permanent members -- France, Britain, Russia, China and the United States --plus Germany (Group 5+1), in a bid to persuade Iran to halt uranium enrichment.

    The United States and its allies have accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran has denied the U.S. charges and insists that its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes.