AFP, United Nations, Sept 22, 2009 – Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki Tuesday renewed Tehran’s refusal to discuss its suspect nuclear program and urged the US to work for a compromise, a Japanese official said.
Mottaki’s comments came in talks with his Japanese counterpart Katsuya Okada on the sidelines of this year’s United Nations General Assembly, a Japanese government official said.
’Iranian people respect dialogue, but we are not willing to hold negotiations on our rights,’ Mottaki told Okada, according to the official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity.
’While President (Barack) Obama calls for change in his slogan,’ the Iranian minister told Okada, ’I hope he can prove it not just through words but also through actions. It’s time for us to nail down such actions.’
Washington has warned that Iran, which Western nations fear is secretly developing nuclear weapons under the guise of its civilian nuclear power program, will face further sanctions if it shies away from talks.
Tehran denies the charge and maintains its program aims to promote global nuclear disarmament.