Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran will not hold any further talks with world powers on its controversial nuclear program.
Mr. Ahmadinejad told a news conference in Tehran Monday Iran will only agree to discussions with major powers about cooperating in managing global problems. He said Iran will not participate in talks about nuclear issues outside the framework of the U.N. nuclear agency.
Six world powers have offered Iran a package of incentives to suspend uranium enrichment. Western nations fear Iran will use the enrichment process to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran says its nuclear program is peaceful.
President Ahmadinejad said that if he is re-elected next month, he is ready to debate U.S. President Barack Obama at the United Nations in New York.
Mr. Obama has said he wants a dialogue with Iran to persuade it that developing nuclear weapons is not in the Iranian interest.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
