A picture released by the official website of the Iranian President's office shows Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad waving after delivering a speech during a public meeting in the northern city of Qazvin on November 10, 2010, where he stressed that Iran would not negotiate on its basic rights and urged the West to climb down from its “ivory towers” if it wants to hold nuclear talks. – AFP Photo

TEHRAN: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said major powers are against solving the controversy surrounding Iran's nuclear programme, state television reported on its website on Thursday.

“In the next few days, the dialogue will commence but our experience shows that they are not seeking to solve the issue,” Ahmadinejad said, referring to upcoming talks with six countries over Tehran's nuclear drive.

“From our side the issue has already been solved and we will continue our peaceful nuclear activities. The Western countries are arrogant and do not take others into account.”The talks are aimed at allaying Western concerns that Iran's nuclear programme is masking a weapons drive under the guise of a civilian programme, something Tehran denies.

Iran has proposed the talks be held in Istanbul on November 23 or December 5. Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany agree on Istanbul, but have proposed a date of November 15.

The final date is yet to be fixed.

Ahmadinejad questioned again the mandate of the six powers. “What is the basis of this group and based on which law it was formed,” he asked.

“If it consists of the five UN Security Council members, then what is Germany doing here? We welcome Germany's presence, but then we say that for the reason Germany is in the talks, others should also be in.” Iran has previously said that allies Brazil and Turkey be involved in these talks.

Ahmadinejad also accused the UN atomic watchdog of “giving information” to Iran's arch-foe, the United States.

“Accepting the additional protocol means that all our nuclear activities must be under the supervision of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), which gives information to America,” he said.

In February 2006, Iran ceased to apply the additional protocol of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which calls for tougher inspections of nuclear activities of member countries.

On Monday, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano told the UN General Assembly “Iran has not provided the necessary cooperation to permit the agency to confirm that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities.”Iran must carry out “full implementation” of IAEA and UN Security Council resolutions, he said.

Iran's deputy ambassador to the UN, Eshagh al-Habib, hit back, saying Amano's claim was “incorrect and misleading.”He called the UN Security Council sanction resolutions “illegal.”Iran is under four sets of UN sanctions for refusing to abandon its uranium enrichment programme, the most controversial part of its nuclear activities. – AFP