Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's letter to his American counterpart
might create a new diplomatic opening, but did not indicate Iran had softened
its stance, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator said in Ankara yesterday.
In an interview with Turkey's private NTV television
channel, Ali Larijani, who is on a visit to Turkey, declined to give details of
the letter, but said "perhaps it could lead to a new diplomatic opening."
The letter was delivered to U.S. President George W. Bush by the Swiss
embassy to Iran, Iranian government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham said on
Monday.
President Ahmadinejad, who has vowed never to give up right to peaceful
nuclear technology, proposed new solutions to the international problems in the
letter, the spokesman said.
The White House said on Monday that it was unaware of a letter from
Ahmadinejad to Bush, the first from an Iranian president to his American
counterpart in 27 years.
Larijani arrived in Ankara on Monday morning to seek support for its nuclear
position as the UN Security Council is considering a draft resolution presented
by Britain and France that obliges Iran to freeze all uranium enrichment
activities or face sanctions.
Larijani also warned against any U.S. attack on Iran, saying that "Iran is
not Iraq. Iran is a powerful country."
