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Ahmadinejad: Iran Willing to Talk if Conditions Are Met

   VOA News 16 June 2010

   Iranian  President  Mahmoud  Ahmadinejadsays his country is willing to
   resume talks with Western nations about its nuclear program if certain
   conditions are met.

   Mr.  Ahmadinejad made the comments during a televised speech Wednesday
   in the central town of Shahr-e-kord.

   He  said Iran would announce the conditions soon and that world powers
   need  to  be  disciplined  for  new  sanctions  against Tehran for its
   disputed nuclear program.

   Last  week,  the United Nations Security Council passed a fourth round
   of  sanctions  against  Iran  for  pursuing nuclear technology. And on
   Monday,  the  European  Union  signed  off  on  a draft for additional
   sanctions.

   The  ministers  said  the  extra  EU  sanctions  on  trade,  financial
   transactions and transport could be imposed next month.

   The  EU's  foreign  policy  chief, Catherine Ashton, also said she had
   invited  Iran's  top  nuclear  negotiator to talks about his country's
   nuclear program.

   Ashton  said  she  wrote  to  Iran's  Saeed  Jalili to discuss nuclear
   weapons  issues.  She  said  the  proposal  is  in  line with the EU's
   twin-track  approach  of  using  both dialogue and sanctions to target
   Iran's atomic program.

   The  United  States  and  other  Western nations fear Iran is pursuing
   nuclear  technology  in order to produce nuclear weapons. Iran insists
   the program is for peaceful purposes.

   Iran's  Revolutionary  Guard  has  dismissed the latest U.N. sanctions
   against  Tehran,  which  largely target the elite force. Iran says its
   nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

   The  sanctions passed by the U.N. Security Council include a freeze on
   the assets of 15 companies linked to the Revolutionary Guard.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

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