Prez of Iran: We are open to talks

By the way, GREAT article. Lots of good links, good info from CNN on this one.

www.cnn.com...

Ahmadinejad told a Jakarta TV station in an interview Thursday morning that he was ready to negotiate with any country to resolve the dispute, but said that any threats against his country would make talks difficult.

"If someone points an arm (a weapon) at your face and says you must speak, will you do that?" he said, according to an Associated Press report.

The Iranian president said that Western nations with large stocks of nuclear weapons were practicing "double standards" in pressing Iran to stop its peaceful nuclear program, and dismissed the threat of sanctions...

Hassan Rohani, Iran's former top nuclear negotiator, said Tehran would consider ratifying an International Atomic Energy Agency protocol that provides for intrusive and snap inspections and would also address the question of preventing a pullout from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

The current Iranian negotiator, Ali Larijani, said Tuesday that Tehran had no intention of withdrawing from the treaty and promised to cooperate if the U.N. atomic watchdog agency dealt with the issue of its nuclear program, rather than the Security Council.

So the ball's in our court now, I guess. Too me, this looks hopeful.