Better to cooperate than go for conflict says Ahmadinejad

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said today that he is not involved in Iran conducting negotiations with the IAEA, IRNA reported.

Speaking to the journalists, Ahmadinejad noted that the issue of IAEA inspectors' possible visit to Parchin military complex in Iran is being handled by Iran's nuclear negotiating team.

"I am not involved in this matter," the president said.

In response to another question on nuclear talks, Ahmadinejad said Iran is already a nuclear state, and it will not step back from its rights.

With regard to the negotiations between Iran and Western states on country's nuclear program, Ahmadinejad said that "it is better to cooperate than go for conflict".

Iran today started the nuclear negotiations with the IAEA, Iran state TV website IRIB News reported.

IAEA delegation, headed by the international body's Deputy Director General And Chief Inspector, Herman Nackaerts, arrived in the Iranian capital, Tehran, last night.

Nackaerts and his team will hold talks with Iranian nuclear officials later on Wednesday and press for access to suspect documents, nuclear officials and especially the Parchin military base, where nuclear weapons parts have allegedly been tested

Tehran said Tuesday a visit to the Parchin base near Tehran by the IAEA would be possible if the country's right to a civilian nuclear programme were acknowledged.

In a series of meetings over the past year, both sides have been unable to agree on the conditions under which such investigations would go forward.


/Trend/