Israel Matzav

Iran: 'Please don't threaten us'

Iran now says that it is willing to consider nuclear fuel swaps, but it asks the West 'please don't threaten us.'

On Friday, the French news agency AFP quoted Iran's President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as having said that Iran would be willing to reach a deal with the West over its controversial nuclear program as soon as the U.S. and other Western nations stopped issuing threats against Iran.

"Everything is possible, 400 kilos, 800 kilos, it's nothing," for enrichment abroad, Ahmadinejad was quoted by AFP as saying in a new gesture to try to end the nuclear standoff.

"But not in a climate where they threaten us. They have to change their vocabulary, in respect and legality," Ahmadinejad said.

Six world powers have urged Iran to accept a United Nations-drafted proposal that would have Iran ship 1,200 kilograms of its low-enriched uranium to Russia in one batch.

"From the outset, delivering 1,200 kilos of uranium was not a problem for us," said Ahmadinejad, "but they believe they can wave a stick to threaten us, those days are over."

U.S. President Barack Obama's administration has signaled that time is running out for the diplomatic approach to resolving the nuclear dispute with Iran. Both the U.S. and Israel have not ruled out a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities should diplomacy fail.

"They are threatening us now, with sanctions, with resolutions, pressure, it's going backwards," said Ahmadinejad.

Here's betting that the US, China and Russia (and note which country I put first) seize on this to give Iran more time.

What could go wrong?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:57 AM