TEHRAN, June 19: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday the “new game” of the West in the nuclear standoff with Iran would end in humiliation, days after world powers presented a new offer to end the crisis.“The nuclear issue has ended from our point of view,” state television quoted Ahmadinejad as telling clerics in a speech in the shrine city of Qom.

“Recently they have started a new game — by testing us — but this will result in no achievement for them except humiliation,” he added. It was not clear if Ahmadinejad’s comments — his first on the nuclear standoff since the offer was presented on Saturday by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana — were a direct reference to the package.

“In the nuclear issue, the bullying powers have used up all their capabilities but could not break the will of the Iranian nation,” Ahmadinejad was also quoted as saying by state television.

The West fears Iran could use uranium enrichment to make an atomic bomb although Tehran insists it wants only to generate nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

The Iranian government spokesman has already said Tehran will reject any offer demanding it suspends uranium enrichment.

Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency Ali Asghar Soltanieh has also ruled out any freeze on enrichment, saying: “Iran will never submit to such an illegal act.”

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that Iran was prepared to hold negotiations on the package and would give its answer in due course.—AFP