U.S. President Barack Obama failed to meet the expectations of the global community, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said in an interview with U.K. Channel 4.
"We hope he will succeed in making changes, real changes. And we have helped him. However we are concerned about his avenues - he has failed to meet the expectations of the people in the U.S. and the people of the world," the Iranian leader said.
He also mocked Obama's speech early this year in which he said "if countries like Iran are willing to unclench their fists, they will find an extended hand from us."
"Which hand did he extend? His right hand or left hand?" Ahmadinejad asked.
He said that it was in fact the Iranian leadership who "extended hands."
"I sent a message to him and we participated in the Geneva negotiations. We talked with them and we offered the proposals for a fuel exchange. And we have announced that we stand ready to have a debate in New York. Who has extended his hand in practice? He extended sanctions against us."
Iran, which is suspected by Western powers of pursuing an atomic weapons program, would not thereby be able to enrich uranium to make weapons.
The Iranian leader dismissed as "meaningless" the deadline for the deal.
He said his country made a proposal to carry out a simultaneous swap of its nuclear fuel for enriched uranium, but that the exchange would have to take place on its own territory. According to Ahmadinejad, the countries have to "provide the fuel without any conditions" under international regulations.
"We have offered a proposal in order to provide opportunity for them - in order to have an opportunity for cooperation instead of confrontation," he said. "But they are insisting that to have conditions for giving us the fuel - political conditions I mean - while the exchange of fuel is a technical job."
Ahmadinejad, who recently set a goal of producing about 250-300 tons of nuclear fuel annually, said his country would have "no problem" producing the 20% grade uranium for a medical research reactor in Tehran.
"We are in a position to produce 20% grade uranium. We have given this offer in order to provide an opportunity for them. If they do not use the opportunity we are in position and we are able to produce that grade of uranium."
Iran, which is already under three sets of UN sanctions for refusing to halt uranium enrichment, recently announced plans to build 10 new uranium enrichment facilities. Tehran insists it needs nuclear technology to generate electricity, while Western powers suspect it of pursuing an atomic weapons program.
"I think it has become an old issue to talk about the nuclear program. The story of these claims of U.S. and its allies has turned into a TV series," he said.
He added that his country would not accept the policy, which is based on "accept the policy of intimidation and aggression."
MOSCOW, December 25 (RIA Novosti)
