Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday Tehran would refuse to negotiate over its "inalienable rights" to acquire nuclear technology, on the eve of last-minute talks between Iran and EU powers. "We believe that it is the right of all member nations to enjoy nuclear fuel and peaceful nuclear technology. We will not accept a scientific apartheid," Ahmadinejad told reporters in Kuala Lumpur. Ahmadinejad is in Malaysia for a three-day visit as part of Iran's efforts to garner international support before Monday's meeting. "My nation has chosen its path. Having said that I also point out that we don't want to pick a fight with any country but we are very capable of defending ourselves and securing our national interests," Ahmadinejad said.While Iran is ready to negotiate, "it is very clear that we are not open to negotiating on our inalienable rights," the Iranian president said, speaking in Farsi through an interpreter. In an effort to end the crisis, Russia has offered to enrich uranium for Tehran so that the West can be assured that it is not being diverted to build weapons Larijani, confirmed in Moscow that Tehran will negotiate with Britain, France and Germany before of a March 6 key meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's governing board. A European diplomat said the talks will be held Friday in Vienna.
The IAEA board of governors could start a process leading to punishment by the UN Security Council, which has the authority to impose sanctions on Iran. "The Iranians asked for this meeting. We are prepared to meet them tomorrow to listen to what they have to say," a British Foreign Office spokesman in London said Thursday. "There are no new proposals from the EU-3," the spokesman said. IAEA director general Mohammad al-Baradei, who is also due to meet the foreign ministers, also welcomed the EU3-Iran meeting. "As negotiations proceed, it will be essential for all parties to specifically address the security, political and economic issues that underlie any future comprehensive settlement," he said in a statement.