Iran's Ahmadinejad wants to debate Obama at UN

Source: Associated Press

Iran's Ahmadinejad wants to debate Obama at UN

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Mahmoud Ahmadinejad proposed on Monday a face-to-face debate with President Barack Obama at the United Nations if he is re-elected next month as Iran's president.

But he balanced the offer with a sharp rebuke to Washington and its allies over Iran's nuclear program. He reiterated that Iran would never abandon its advances in uranium enrichment in exchange for offers of easing sanctions or other economic incentives.

The nuclear issue "is closed," he told a news conference.

Obama has urged a "serious process of engagement" after Iran's elections in an effort to end a nearly 30-year diplomatic chill. However last week, the American leader said the U.S. was prepared to seek deeper international sanctions against Tehran if it did not respond positively to the attempts to open negotiations on its nuclear program. Obama set a year-end deadline for Iran to show it wanted to engage with Washington.


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Who's going to be the moderator?

maybe Sarah Palin would like to represent America.

Ahmadinejad said that, if re-elected, he would be open to "debate global issues as well as world peace and security" during the U.N. General Assembly in September.

Ahmadinejad doesn't need a debate but a discussion could be good.

edt: read the rest of the article

Ahneedadinnerjacket doesn't have the populace or the clerics behind him. He can be ignored, and we can focus on diplomacy with the next guy.

Ahmadinejad gained by playing himself off against the Bush Administration. He wants to continue the us/them dichotomy.

Sending Keith Ellison to debate Ahmadinejad would be as keen a move as when Ellison decided to use Jefferson's Qur'an amidst the brouhaha over his swearing in. For those that don't remember, Jefferson hailed from the same district as Virgil Goode who was a big figure in the controversy.

Ahmadinejad promises debate with Obama

Mon, 25 May 2009 15:36:20 GMT

As Iran heats up for the presidential elections, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he will invite his US counterpart Barack Obama to a debate if elected for a second term.

Speaking at a news conference with foreign reporters on Monday, President Ahmadinejad said during his previous visit to the United Nations headquarters he invited former US President George W. Bush to join him in a debate on global issues.

"Of course this time, if I am elected as president by the great nation of Iran, I will extend that invitation (to President Obama) one more time for a debate at the UN headquarters," President Ahmadinejad said on Monday.

President Obama's new tone for trying to engage Tehran has drawn a sharp line between his foreign policies regarding Iran and that of his predecessor.

Under the former US president, Washington pursued a carrot-and-stick policy toward Tehran over its nuclear program and by setting preconditions, it snubbed calls by President Ahmadinejad for talks on the long-standing dispute.

http://www.presstv.ir/classic/detail.aspx?id=95932§ionid=351020101