Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said today his country had prepared proposals to end a stalemate over its nuclear ambitions with six world powers, state television reported.
"We have prepared a package that can be the basis to resolve Iran's nuclear problem. It will be offered to the West soon," Mr Ahmadinejad said in a televised speech.
The United States, Russia, China, France, Germany and Britain said last week they would ask European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana to invite Iran to a meeting to find "a diplomatic solution to this critical issue".
It marked a significant shift in US policy under President Barack Obama, whose predecessor George W. Bush shunned direct talks with Tehran as long as it pressed ahead with uranium enrichment that the West fears is meant to yield atomic bombs.
Iran welcomed on Monday a "constructive" dialogue with the six world powers, in the clearest Iranian signal yet it would accept an invitation for talks on its disputed nuclear activity.
Mr Ahmadinejad did not give details of the new package, but said the world could not be ruled by "using force".
"This new package will ensure peace and justice for the world. It respects rights of all nations," he said.
In Washington the State Department said the United States was prepared to meet Iran without preconditions but made clear suspension of uranium enrichment was the goal.
It was unclear whether Iran's counter-offer would be essentially different from previous ill-fated exchanges.
The six world powers originally offered Iran economic and political incentives in 2006 to suspend enrichment. Iran's response hinted at some flexibility but ruled out suspension as a precondition for talks as stipulated by the powers.
Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil producer, says its nuclear programme is aimed at generating electricity. It has repeatedly ruled out halting its uranium enrichment campaign.
Mr Ahmadinejad on April 9th inaugurated its first nuclear fuel fabrication plant and said the country had now mastered the entire fuel cycle.
Reuters