MOSCOW, September 7 (RIA Novosti) - Iran's president said on Monday he was ready to talk with the five veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council plus Germany but would not discuss its nuclear program, Iran's Press TV reported.
"If wise officials of certain Western countries and the United States are to make final decisions, we expect change of approaches, an issue which Iran welcomes," Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said. "We are ready to hold talks and exchange views in a correct direction to solve global challenges".
But he ruled out talks on Iran's nuclear plans.
"From our view point, the nuclear issue is closed," he said. "We will not hold negotiations on our inalienable rights."
He said Iran would continue to work in the framework of global regulations and in close cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
"Iran has prepared other proposals on different issues, which will be presented to other countries," Ahmadinejad said.
Western powers seek harsher sanctions against the Islamic Republic if it does not agree to halt uranium enrichment. Russia and China, however, insist on diplomatic steps.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog, will gather on September 15 to look into Iran's nuclear ambitions.
IAEA Mohamed ElBaradei said in a recent interview there was no evidence that Tehran had a nuclear weapons program, and the Iranian nuclear threat has been "hyped." But he said Iran should be more transparent with the organization to ease concerns about its future nuclear intentions.
