Ahmadinejad. Visiting New York
Photo: Reuters
Iran has 'no problem' with sanctions
President Ahmadinejad makes annual trip to New York to attend UN General Assembly session, tells ABC News, 'We do take sanctions seriously, but taking it seriously is different from believing that they are effective'
WASHINGTON - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
said Sunday he had "no problem" with the international community's measures against his country's nuclear programs.
The Iranian leader arrived in New York to take part in the United Nations General Assembly meeting and gave interviews to different television networks. He told Amanpour, "We do take sanctions seriously, but taking it seriously is different from believing that they are effective."
In an interview to Christiane Amanpour on ABC News, Ahmadinejad insisted that the sanctions had "no negative influence" on Iran.
Solid Relations
News agencies
After meeting briefly with his counterpart Assad at Damascus airport, Iranian president declares resistance to West on the rise in Middle East, says region's countries will 'disrupt' American and Israeli plans to change its political geography
According to the Iranian president, the Security Council's measures were illegal.
During the interview, Ahmadinejad was asked whether the Islamic Republic would agree to sit down to the negotiation table with the Security Council's five permanent members – the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia – and with Germany.
"We've always been ready to discuss issues as long as there within the legal framework and based on principles of justice and respect," the Iranian president replied.
Ahmadinejad has a habit of giving interviews to American television networks every year before attending the UN meeting. In an interview with NBC television last week, the Iranian president said he believed the "Zionist lobby" in Washington was preventing US President Barack Obama from improving America's relationship with Tehran.
When asked about the apparent escalation of tensions between Muslims and Americans in recent weeks, he said there was "no conflict between the two cultures."
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