MOSCOW, September 12 (RIA Novosti) - Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Saturday that negotiations with the West on Iran's nuclear program are a "possibility", with account for Tehran's recent proposals of international discussions on security issues, Israel's Haaretz daily reported.
Mottaki's comments followed the decision by the United States and its partner nations to accept Iran's offer to hold talks. The Iranian foreign minister said he welcomed talks with world powers, adding that "should conditions be ripe, there is the possibility of talks about the nuclear issue," the newspaper said.
U.S. President Barack Obama said in July that Tehran must respond to the six international negotiators' proposal to halt nuclear activities in exchange for trade incentives by the end of September. France and Germany said they would seek harsher sanctions for the Islamic Republic if it turned down the proposal.
Iran presented on Wednesday proposals to six world powers for talks on "global issues", including its nuclear program.
However, Mottaki said there would be no compromise on Tehran's nuclear right, Iran's Press TV channel reported.
"Iran is seriously willing to enter talks with the world powers on the basis of the items mentioned in the latest package," Mottaki told journalists, but "we cannot make any compromise in terms of the Iranian nation's inalienable right."
Iran has been under pressure to halt uranium enrichment, needed both for electricity generation and weapons production. Tehran has repeatedly rejected the demand, insisting it is pursuing a purely civilian program.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday he was prepared to discuss international issues with Obama, but ruled out negotiations on the disputed nuclear program, saying that the discussion was "finished" and he would not debate Tehran's legitimate rights.
