Iran president ready to talk on nuke program

TEHRAN, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Iran's new president took to Twitter Tuesday to say he thinks negotiations over the nation's hotly debated nuclear enrichment program could prove fruitful.

Hassan Rouhani, considered among the more liberal candidates on the June 14 presidential ballot, made his first public remarks during a press conference, The New York Times reported. During that session with reporters, he used his official English-language Twitter feed to say he thought resumed negotiations over Iran's nuclear program could yield a deal between Western powers and Iran -- and that crippling international sanctions enacted by the United Nations are unnecessary and counterproductive.

"What should America do? Hear voice and message of our people," Mr. Rouhani said in one Twitter post. "We want the White House to get out of this situation and see the facts accordingly," he said in another."

Rouhani said his election should be seen by the world as proof Iranians are serious about resolving the nuclear standoff. Among those he defeated in the election was Iran's hard-line nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, who made no progress in resolving the situation under Rouhani's predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Speaking of the six nations involved in talks with Iran -- the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia along with Germany, Rouhani said: "Iran's determination to resolve nuclear issue & concerns are serious. If they are serious too, we will see results."