THE TELEGRAPH: Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has opened the door to talks with the US over his country's nuclear programme, declaring that Tehran wanted negotiations based on 'justice'.
Mr Ahmadinejad delivered a moderate message on Iran's annual "day of nuclear technology". The hardline leader, who rose to power on a tide of anti-American demagoguery, gave his first response to an invitation from the world's leading powers, including the US, to join a new round of talks.
"The Iranian nation has from the beginning been after logic and negotiations, but negotiations based on justice and complete respect for rights and regulations," he said during a speech in the city of Isfahan, where he opened a new nuclear plant.
The president added: "One-sided negotiations, conditional negotiations, negotiations in an atmosphere of threat are not something that any free person would accept."
But a few hours earlier, officials claimed that Iran is now operating 7,000 centrifuges inside its underground plant in Natanz. These machines are used to enrich uranium, a highly sensitive process which could be used to produce fuel for civilian power stations - or the essential material for a nuclear weapon. >>> By David Blair, Diplomatic Editor | Thursday, April 9, 2009
