Iranian President says Iran ready for talks with world powers but stresses inalienable rights off limits.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday Iran was ready for nuclear negotiations with the world powers but the country's "inalienable rights" were off limits, state television reported. "We have said many times that we will not negotiate the inalienable rights of the Iranian nation with anyone, but if they want to talk about cooperation, then we are ready," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying by the channel's website. "We are ready to negotiate but... world powers should acknowledge that the rights of the Iranian nation are non-negotiable. They should also stop being hostile," he said. Ahmadinejad made his remarks ahead of long-stalled talks in Geneva, where representatives of world powers are to meet Iranian officials on Monday and Tuesday to discuss the country's nuclear drive. The agenda for the talks has yet to be agreed, however, as Tehran wants a wider discussion that includes security and political issues. "We are ready to have constructive cooperation in the fields of economy, nuclear, international security and politics, and to cooperate on resolving global issues," Ahmadinejad said. On Friday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Iran to be constructive at the Geneva talks. "We hope that you will come to it, as we will, in good faith and prepared to engage constructively on your nuclear program," she said in Bahrain. Clinton acknowledged that Iran has "the right to a peaceful nuclear program," but said Tehran must fully address the world's concerns about its atomic activities.Ahmadinejad: Iran Ready for Talks, but Not on Nuclear Rights
