"The Islamic Republic of Iran aims to make use of peaceful nuclear technology and believes that talks with the negotiating party should be held on equal footing and mutual respect," Salehi said in a meeting with outgoing South African Ambassador to Tehran Ebrahim Mohammad Sali in Tehran on Sunday.
He blasted the western governments for turning the technical issues to political ones, and said they have currently reached the point that they must change their path.
Washington and its Western allies accuse Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program, while they have never presented any corroborative evidence to substantiate their allegations. Iran denies the charges and insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.
Tehran stresses that the country has always pursued a civilian path to provide power to the growing number of Iranian population, whose fossil fuel would eventually run dry.
Iran held an "intense" round of talks with six world powers about its nuclear program in Moscow in June. The talks in the Russian capital followed two rounds of negotiations since diplomacy resumed in April after a 15-month hiatus during which the West cranked up sanctions pressure.
Iranian officials have repeatedly insisted on an easing of sanctions and an acknowledgment of the country's right to enrich uranium, conditions that the United States and the EU have not accepted.
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The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready for holding serious talks with the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) based on mutual respect, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said.
News ID 183618
