TEHRAN, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday that the Islamic republic will not back down on its fundamental rights in the face of pressures, stressing that talks with the United States is unlikely under threats and sanction pressures.
Ahmadinejad made the remarks alluding to the recent U.S. " direct talks proposal" with Iran over the country's nuclear issue.
When addressing a ceremony held here to mark the 34th anniversary of the Islamic revolution, the Iranian president said that as Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said it is "unlikely" to expect negotiations "when (you are) holing a gun over the Iranian nation's head."
Khamenei on Thursday said that the Islamic republic was not interested in any talks with the United States under pressure.
The talks should be based on "justice and respect, not pressure, " Ahmadinejad said Sunday, adding that "If you (Americans) do not point a gun at Iranian nation, I myself will talk (with you)."
"We also emphasize that dialogue is better than confrontation" and during the talks "misunderstandings should be removed" and " convergence should be made," the Iranian president said, stressing that in this way dialogue would not serve "as a tool to impose the wills (of one side on the other)."
The Islamic republic "will not back down on its fundamental ( nuclear) rights even a single iota" in the face of pressures, he said.
The West considers Iran's nuclear activities as a "suspicious" weapon-grade program but Iran insists on its "peaceful" nature.
Ahmadinejad's remarks is significant in that hopes have recently been raised to find a way to resolve Tehran's nuclear issue in the new round of talks between the world powers and Iran scheduled for Feb. 26 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Meanwhile, the Iranian president said that the West made all its efforts to "stop Iran from turning into a nuclear country" but "they failed."
The Islamic republic has turned into a nuclear state and will continue its pace to take advantage of "peaceful nuclear energy program," he emphasized.
Ahmadinejad downplayed Western sanction pressures on the country's energy sector and economy, saying that "If you don't want to buy Iran's oil ..., we do not sell it to you and will run the country with non-oil revenues."
He meanwhile praised the achievements of the Islamic revolution in a number of scientific and technological areas, saying that the country has made remarkable progresses during the past 34 years which have redeemed the country's "independence."
Hailing the recent "successful" program of sending a living creature into space, he asserted that Iran will "soon put its satellite at an orbit of 36,000 km above the earth."
TEHRAN, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for European and American Affairs Ali-Asghar Khaji downplayed on Saturday the impact of Western sanctions against the Islamic republic over the country's sensitive nuclear program. Full story
TEHRAN, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Friday that talks with the United States is not currently possible.
"According to the guidelines of the (Iranian) supreme leader, negotiations with the United states is not in agenda and is not possible before they change their attitude and ask for apology for their... hostility toward the country," Mehmanparast was quoted as saying by official IRNA news agency Friday. Full story
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday called on Iran to talk "real substance" with the world powers over its disputed nuclear program, saying the "window for diplomacy" is still open.
The top American envoy made the appeal as Iran has agreed to start fresh talks with the so-called P5+1 group of Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany on Feb. 26 in Kazakhstan. Full story
TEHRAN, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman said that talks with the United States is not currently in Iran's agenda, official IRNA news agency reported Friday.
Ramin Mehmanparast said that "According to the guidelines of the supreme leader, negotiations with the United states is not in agenda and is not possible before they change their attitude and ask for apology for their... hostility toward the country," according to the report. Full story
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