Rice offers Iran normal ties

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili says his country will continue with its nuclear program.

This follows the drafting of another UN resolution on Iran's disputed program.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has promised  Tehran expanded trade ties and a normal relationship  if Iran abandons its nuclear program.(CCTV.com)

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has promised Tehran expanded trade ties and a normal relationship if Iran abandons its nuclear program.

Speaking after a meeting in Brussels with Belgium's foreign minister, Jalili said Tehran has fulfilled its nuclear obligations.

Jalili also said the United States has unfairly accused Tehran of using its nuclear program for military purposes.

He spoke out against the possibility of new sanctions against his country.

Saeed Jalili, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, said, "We do not want much. We want them not to prevent us from our normal activities. They should not impose illegal things on us. For example, the sanctions would be remembered by our people for a long time."

Later on Wednesday, Jalili met EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

But their meeting appeared to make little progress in solving the West's stalemate with Tehran over its nuclear program.

On the same day, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice delivered a speech to the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili says his country will continue with its nuclear program.  (CCTV.com)

She says she believes the nuclear stand-off with Iran could be resolved diplomatically but Tehran must not be allowed to become a nuclear weapon power.

Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State, said, "Ultimately though, this problem can and should be resolved through diplomacy. Should Iran suspend its uranium enrichment and processing activities, which is an international demand, not an American one, we could begin negotiations and we could work over time to build a new, more normal relationship."

US and European diplomats agreed on a draft third UN sanctions resolution on Tuesday in Berlin.

The draft will be presented to the other members of the UN Security Council in the coming days.