UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Iran's new president said Wednesday his country is ready to negotiate and has "nothing to hide" as world powers prepare to revive stalled talks over Tehran's disputed nuclear activities.
Iran has agreed to meet with six world powers on Thursday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly to try to restart nuclear negotiations that stalled in April. The West suspects Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon, something Tehran has repeatedly denied.
"If there is political will on the other side, which we think there is, we are ready to talk," President Hasan Rouhani told editors in New York in a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. "We believe the nuclear issue will be solved by negotiation."
But Rouhani said Iran must be careful in starting a new relationship with the U.S. after three decades of frozen ties, adding that his first goal is to reduce the distrust. He noted that there are radical voices in America and radical voices in Iran who would not like to see that happen, but said that the voices of moderation need to be strengthened and supported.
"The more two countries are apart, the more suspicions, fears and miscalculations creep in," Rouhani said.
His remarks were made at a meeting of senior editors and news anchors, which initially was supposed to be off the record. However in response to requests from journalists, Rouhani agreed some of his remarks could be quoted.
On Tuesday, Rouhani addressed world leaders at the U.N. in his debut speech to the international audience. He toned down anti-Israel rhetoric and generally showed a more moderate face of the hard-line, clerical regime in Tehran.
But his speech was also peppered with digs at America and the West - a reminder that a diplomatic warming will not come quickly or easily.
On Wednesday, Rouhani said he has no problem shaking hands with President Barack Obama, but he thought that the first meeting between leaders of their two countries in more than three decades needed to be handled very carefully.
There had been heated speculation that the two might meet at the U.N. on Tuesday and even exchange handshakes and pleasantries. But that did not happen.
Hours later in Washington, the White House said Obama remains open to the possibility of an informal encounter with Rouhani at a future date.