Iran says ready for nuclear talks

The US and its allies want Iran to halt making nuclear fuel,which they worry could eventually lead to weapons-grade material and the production of nuclear weapons.

Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes — generating electricity and producing medical radioisotopes to treat cancer patients.

The 27-member European Union imposed an oil embargo against Iran on Monday,part of sanctions to pressure Tehran into resuming talks on the country’s nuclear program. It follows US action also aimed at limiting Iran’s ability to sell oil,which accounts for 80 per cent of its foreign revenue.

Iran had previously indicated that it is ready for a new round of talks. Ahmadinejad is the highest-ranking official to make the offer.

He accused the West of trying to scuttle negotiations as a way to further squeeze Iran. “It is you who come up with excuses each time and issue resolutions on the verge of talks so that negotiations collapse,” Ahmadinejad said in a speech in Kerman. “Why should we shun talks? Why and how should a party that has logic and is right shun talks? It’s evident that those who resort to coercion are opposed to talks and always bring pretexts and blame us instead.”

A senior UN nuclear agency team is expected to visit Tehran on Saturday,the first such mission since a report in November that alleged Iran conducted secret weapons-related tests.

Ahmadinejad also said sanctions and oil embargo will backfire because it has minimum trade with EU. “Americans have not purchased Iranian oil for 30 years. Our central bank has had no dealings with them… our (total) foreign trade is about $200 billion. Between $23 billion to $24 billion of our trade is with Europeans,making up about 10 per cent of our total trade … Iran won’t suffer,’’ Ahmadinejad said.