Iran Warns U.S.: No Negotiations if Sanctioned

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tehran will not proceed negotiations over its nuclear work with the West if new sanctions against Tehran are adopted.

"If U.S. and its allies think they could hold the stick of sanctions and then sit and negotiate with us, they are seriously mistaken," President Ahmadinejad said in a news conference in Turkey on Tuesday.

Washington stated last month that the six major powers discussing Iran's nuclear work have reached an agreement on a strong draft against Iran.

This was shortly after Iran issued a declaration of uranium exchange with Turkey and Brazil in May.

Iran considered this declaration as a confidence-building measure that provides an opportunity for cooperation between Iran and the West.

President Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that the West should grasp the opportunity, as it may not happen again.
The declaration came as part of an earlier plan to supply fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor, which produces medical isotopes for cancer patients.