The Iranian president has challenged his
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the offer to George Bush on Tuesday. Thursday is the deadline set by the UN Security Council for
Ahmadinejad said: "I suggest we talk with Mr Bush, the president of the
"We would voice our opinions and they would too. The debate should be uncensored, above all for the American public."
The White House called the suggestion a "diversion" from the Thursday deadline and refused the invitation.
Dana Perino, the White House spokeswoman, said: "Talk of a debate is just a diversion from the legitimate concerns that the international community, not just the
Overtures
Earlier this year Ahmadinejad sent Bush a letter, the first contact in decades between leaders of the two countries.
But the Iranian president said that such a debate would not necessarily mean reopening dialogue with the
Ahmadinejad said: "Debate is different from dialogue, dialogue has other conditions, we have said our position on that before."
But he said that dialogue was also possible with "the ones who show a frown to our nations if the conditions are fulfilled".
Sanctions
The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency is to report to the Security Council, also on Thursday, on
Ahmadinejad said he believed that it was "unlikely" the Security Council would act against
John Bolton, the American ambassador to the UN, has said the
Ahmadinejad said: "Sanctions are not an issue ... We will not be happy if they use anything but logic but we are not worried. After all, we are capable of defending our rights."
The Iranian president caused controversy last year when he described
Photo Caption
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian President