Ahmadinejad ready to discuss nuclear programme
Wednesday, 23 Apr 2008 13:46
Mr Ahmadinejad says he is willing to discuss Iran's nuclear programme
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Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that the country is willing to discuss its nuclear programme but will not stop its atomic development.
Tehran has constantly denied international claims that it is developing nuclear weapons, instead saying that it is only interested in developing its energy programme.
Mr Ahmadinejad said in a televised address in Hamedan today: "The Iranian nation is in favour of talks to resolve the [nuclear] issue with any of you [countries].
"The enemies should know that the Iranian nation is for logic and dialogue with any of you if the criteria is justice and respect.
"We will slap those who want Iran to abandon its right [to nuclear technology] on the mouth," he added in quotes translated by the Reuters news agency.
The UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said earlier today that progress was being made in talks between Iranian officials and the IAEA deputy general Olli Heinonen.
Mr Heinonen has been in Iran since the beginning of the week to hold talks with senior officials on Iran's current nuclear programme.