BEIRUT — Iran set out tough terms Monday for the resumption of future nuclear talks, vowing to punish world powers for imposing fresh sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told reporters at a news conference Monday that stalled talks could continue only if the United States, Russia, China and Western Europe included other countries in the discussions, clarified their stance on Israel’s undeclared nuclear- weapons arsenal, submitted to the rules of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and specified whether the talks would be friendly or hostile.
He said that as punishment for new sanctions, Iran would not be prepared to resume talks until late summer.
Ahmadinejad also vowed that Iran would retaliate if there were any attempts to board its ships in search of nuclear components, as demanded by U.S. lawmakers in draft legislation wending its way through Congress.
“We reserve our right to retaliate against any error on the part of the U.S. Congress,” Ahmadinejad said. “We are capable of defending our rights, and we will make them, including Mr. Obama — who arrived with his slogan of change — remorseful of any hostile action against us.”
Tehran and world powers are at odds over Iran’s continued pursuit of sensitive nuclear technology that the U.S. and its allies fear is aimed at building atomic bombs. Iran insists its program is peaceful and within its rights as a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Ahmadinejad was dismissive of concerns raised Sunday by CIA Director Leon Panetta that Iran might have the capacity to build a pair of nuclear weapons within two years, given the major powers’ arsenals.
“We wonder why the CIA boss is not afraid of the stockpile of 20,000 nuclear weapons, but he fears the possibility of two bombs in Iran,” he said.
