Ahmadinejad reaffirms 'no' to uranium enrichment stop: Der Spiegel
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Berlin, April 10, IRNA - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejpad reiterated his opposition to western demands for an uranium enrichment stop.
Talking to the online site of the Hamburg-based Der Spiegel news magazine on Thursday, Ahmadinejad said any discussion about halting uranium enrichment has been "outdated."
"The time for it has passed," the Iranian chief executive was quoted saying according to the German-language transcript of the interview.
Responding to baseless accusations by some western countries that Iran had deceived the international community over its nuclear program, Ahmadinejad branded these charges "a big lie."
He made clear again his country had no intention of having an atomic bomb.
"We have no interest in building a nuclear weapon," Ahmadinejad added.
Asked about the latest overtures by the US President Barack Obama towards Tehran, the Iranian president said he had yet to see practical changes by the new American administration in its policy vis-a-vis Iran.
"We are waiting for Obama to announce his plans so that we can analyze them," he added.
Obama, in a message last month on the occasion of the Persian New Year, said he wanted better ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran and offered a new beginning in relations after decades of deep mistrust.
Meanwhile, Ahmadinejad pointed out that he was the first one to undertake an initiative for a new start in the US-Iranian relations when he congratulated Obama on his presidential victory last November.
This was "a big step, a gigantic step," he made clear.
"We were and are interested to have changes," Ahmadinejad said.
"However, the American government has to finally learn from its past," added the Iranian president.
On his assessment of Obama, Ahmadinejad replied, "We are speaking very respectful of Barack Obama. But we are realists."
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