Iran is ready to revive talks with the West but tougher sanctions will not force it to give into demands over its nuclear programme, its president says.
On Monday, the EU banned new oil contracts with Iran, saying it was not confident Tehran’s nuclear plans were “exclusively peaceful”.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said it was evident that “those who resort to coercion are opposed to talks”.
Tehran insists its nuclear programme is for energy purposes.
Negotiations between Iran and the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany ended in a stalemate in January 2011.
President Ahmadinejad is the highest-ranking Iranian official since then to offer to resume talks.
In a speech made in Kerman, southeastern Iran, and broadcast on state television, he accused the West of trying to ruin negotiations in order to put increased pressure on Iran.
