Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday that Iran did not want any preconditions to its talks with the West over its nuclear issue.

"The proposal is a step forward, but the Islamic Republic wants to pursue a fair and equal talk with them (the West), and there should not be any preconditions," Ahmadinejad was quoted by the state television as saying in a meeting with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other officials.

"Our experts are studying the proposal, the Iranian government will protect our people's legal rights with brightness and strength," said the president, adding "After the studying, Iran will respond to the other side immediately."

Ahmadinejad made the statements after Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi blamed the United States on Sunday for imposing preconditions on the nuclear negotiation.

Asefi said that the U.S. behavior had reduced the possibilities to hold talks and added more difficulties for all concerned sides to come to an agreement.

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana on June 6 presented to Iran a new package over Iran's nuclear issue, which had been agreed by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany.

The proposal includes both incentives aimed at persuading Iran to suspend uranium enrichment and possible sanctions if Iran chooses not to comply.

Western countries have repeatedly asked Iran to accept the proposal and give a formal respond to the international community in the near future.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Friday that she had noticed some positive statements from the Iranian top officials, but insisting "the international community needs an answer (from the Iranian government) to know if the negotiation track is going to bear fruit."

U.S. President George W. Bush also warned that the international community just had a few weeks, not months for Iran to give a response.

Washington has accused Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons under a civilian front, a charge categorically denied by Tehran.

Iran says that its nuclear program is only aimed to generate electricity.