Ayatollah Khameini has rejected the idea of negotiation entirely:
TEHRAN, Iran - Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran does "not need" talks with the United States over its nuclear program because nothing would be gained, state television reported Tuesday.
Khamenei, who has the final word on all state matters, did not give his position on a package of incentives offered by the West to persuade Iran to impose a long-term moratorium on the enrichment of uranium.
But he took a tough line on the final goal of the package: resuming negotiations that the United States hopes will persuade Iran to completely give up enrichment, a process that can produce fuel for nuclear generators or the material for nuclear warheads.
"Negotiations with the United States would have no benefit for us, and we do not need them," state television quoted Khamenei as telling Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade.
He said Iran was willing to hold talks on its own terms, warning that the West can misuse the negotiating process to bar Tehran from what it considers its right to pursue enrichment.
"We do not negotiate with anybody on achieving and exploiting nuclear technology," Khamenei said. "But if they recognize our nuclear rights, we are ready to negotiate about controls, supervisions and international guarantees."
White House press secretary Tony Snow said the Bush administration does not consider Khamenei's comments to be an official response. The United States and its European partners have said they are waiting for Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, to communicate with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, Snow said.
It looks like sanctions will be coming their way. Of course, sanctions will not work, but they are a step in the process.
Yesterday, in a conference call with Pamela at Atlas Shrugs, John Bolton reiterated that when George Bush says a nuclear Iran is unacceptable, he means it is unacceptable. I take this to mean we will attack Iran. The question is, when?
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