Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday said his government is ready to hold talks with the US based on the principal of justice and mutual respect, but there should be a clear cut agenda for such a negotiation.
This is the highest level response coming from Iran on the US President, Barack Obama’s call to have direct talks with it on a wide range of issues including the contentious nuclear weapons programme of Iran.
"We should just have a clear-cut framework for talks. The agenda should be clear," Ahmadinejad told the ABC news channel in an interview.
This is the first interview given by the Iranian President to an American news network after Obama became the US President in January this year.
However, the Iranian President said so far he has only heard from media, the newspapers, that "they're interested in talking". After becoming the US President, Obama has started a review of the Administration’s policy on Iran and has offered direct engagement with the government of Ahmadinejad and has even addressed the people of Iran through the media.
Ahmadinejad said he is willing to talk with the Europeans and the Americans. "We have announced as much, that we are going to negotiate. But...... Again, based on justice and mutual respect. Well, after everything is said and done -- well, planning needs to be made, and some timetables need to be set. We believe in talking, in negotiating, based on sincerity and respect and justice," he said in his interview through a translator.
{{/usCountry}}Ahmadinejad said he is willing to talk with the Europeans and the Americans. "We have announced as much, that we are going to negotiate. But...... Again, based on justice and mutual respect. Well, after everything is said and done -- well, planning needs to be made, and some timetables need to be set. We believe in talking, in negotiating, based on sincerity and respect and justice," he said in his interview through a translator.
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