Iranian President Willing to Negotiate

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said early today that he thought his dispute with the West over his country’s nuclear program could be resolved through negotiations, and that he was open to “new conditions.”

“We are partial to dialogue and negotiation, and we believe that we can resolve the problems in a context of dialogue and of justice together,” Ahmadinejad said at a midnight news conference during a brief visit to Senegal’s capital.

He was asked about a U.S. statement Wednesday that Iran was “aggressively” pursuing nuclear weapons through its controversial uranium enrichment program, and that the country should face economic sanctions because of it.

“I don’t believe there will be sanctions because there is no reason to have sanctions. It would be preferable for the U.S. officials not to speak in anger,” he said, flashing a smile.

“I am announcing that we are available, we are ready for new conditions,” he added, without elaborating, before leaving for the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Havana.

Western leaders have criticized Iran’s disregard of an Aug. 31 United Nations Security Council deadline to suspend its uranium enrichment program.

Tehran insists that the program is intended solely to produce electricity.

Washington made clear to the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency that Iran’s defiance should trigger steps toward sanctions, but Britain, France and Germany avoided any mention of punitive action and called for last-ditch talks despite Tehran’s violation of the deadline.