Iran: West failed in nuclear issue

Source: alalam.ir, 19-06-2008

TEHRAN-Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday the West failed to break the Islamic Republic's will in the nuclear issue.

Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying by state television: "In the nuclear issue, the bullying powers have used up all their capabilities but could not break the will of the Iranian nation."

World powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US -- on Saturday offered Tehran a new package of technological and economic incentives in exchange for suspending uranium enrichment activities.

However, Iran has stressed it will nit back way from its enrichment activities, saying the country is entitled to the atomic right as stipulated in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to which Iran is a signatory.

The Islamic Republic has defied three rounds of UN Security Council sanctions for turning down the West's nuclear demands.

Officials in Tehran underline the country's nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes for generation of electricity for a growing population whose fossil fuel would run out.

Ahmadinejad's comments were his first statement on the nuclear issue since the offer was presented but it was not clear if they represented a reaction to the proposal.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki also said that Tehran is ready to negotiate over a new package of economic incentives.

Mottaki said: "We have informed them of our readiness to negotiate. The package given by the 5+1 countries is currently under consideration and at the appropriate time Teheran will give its reactions."

"We also have what we call the Iranian package which we have sent to the 5+1 countries and we hope they consider it as we consider theirs," added Mottaki.