Iranian officials say they are pleased the United States and otherworld powers have accepted Iran's offer to hold talks, but they insistIran will not back down from its refusal to negotiate on itscontroversial nuclear program.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said hewelcomed talks with the U.S. and its partners, adding that "shouldconditions be ripe, there is a possibility of talks about the nuclearissue."
Mottaki's remarks came as the United States and itspartner nations accepted a proposal made earlier this week from Iranfor broad talks - even though Tehran had said the nuclear issue wasnot on the table.
But the "possibility" of talks on Iran'snuclear issue comes with stipulation says director of the Center forArab & Iranian Studies Ali Nourizadeh.
"Possibility meansthat Iran is ready to talk about nuclear issues if the United Statesand other foreign countries, they accept Iran's right to continueenrichment programs. There won't be any return from the enrichmentprogram," he said.
Iran on Wednesday presented the fivepermanent members of the U.N. Security Council - U.S., Russia, France,Britain and China - plus Germany with a proposal to hold"comprehensive, all-encompassing and constructive" talks on a range ofsecurity issues, including global nuclear disarmament.
Thedocument made no mention of Tehran's nuclear program, which the Westfears masks a nuclear arms ambitions. Tehran says the program is onlyfor peaceful purposes.
Mottaki's remark follows recent publicstatements from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who said herefused to discuss Iran's "nuclear right" with world leaders.
U.S.State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said that although Iransidestepped the nuclear issue in its proposal, the U.S. viewed it as achance to begin direct dialogue.
But, Nourizadeh says Iran'sdesire to meet with the U.S. is more about legitimization thandiplomacy. He adds that he is pessimistic that dialogue will yield thesuspension of Iran's nuclear enrichment program.
"I don't thinkthere's anything for the United States. They will come out moredisappointed with nothing in their hands," said Nourizadeh.
The U.S. State Department hopes for a better outcome and says it would like to meet with Iran as soon as possible.