Iran: No talks until U.S. stops Iraq attacks

May 4th, 2008 | TEHRAN,Iran -- Iran's top leader says his country will not bend to international pressure and give up its nuclear program, according to state television.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in all state matters, said Iran will continue its nuclear program despite Western efforts to thwart it with sanctions.

"No threat can hinder the Iranian nation from its path," he said Sunday.

The U.N. Security Council has already imposed three sets of sanctions on Iran for its refusal to halt uranium enrichment. World powers agreed Friday to try again to lure Iran to the nuclear bargaining table with a repackaged set of incentives.

Diplomats said the offer contained no major new enticements.

(CNN) -- An Iranian official says the government wants the United States to stop its "savage attacks" in Iraq before its envoys hold more talks with U.S. and Iraqi officials, Iran's Fars News Agency reported.

"Under the current circumstances and given the U.S. widespread attacks against Iraqi people in different cities, Iran does not feel these negotiations are necessary," an unnamed official told Fars.

The official -- described as a senior member of Iran's negotiating team -- delivered the remarks as U.S. and Iraqi troops have been fighting Shiite militants in Baghdad and in Basra. The Bush administration says many of these fighters have backing from Iranian agents.

Iran and the United States held three meetings in Baghdad last year to discuss improving security in Iraq. Two meetings were at the ambassadorial level and one was at the expert level. Iraqi officials hosted the meetings.

The report noted that an Iranian delegation went to Baghdad in March for a fourth round of talks. But U.S. officials said at the time that no meeting had been planned and the delegation returned to Iran.

At least the Iranian regime has an ironic sense of humor.