Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday said he wanted nuclear talks with the six world powers to be continued, dpa reported.
"We have always been and are also now ready for talks with the six world powers because we believe that talks are the best option for future cooperation with the international community," Ahmadinejad said in an interview with state television network IRIB.
In a letter last week to European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, Iran welcomed the resumption of nuclear talks but refrained from setting a new date.
The previous round of talks between Iran and Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States was held in January in Istanbul but ended without tangible results.
"All we say is that the talks should be held upon mutual respect, as we will never allow the other side to dictate us anything," Ahmadinejad said.
Tehran has so far rejected the main demand by Ashton and the six powers for a suspension of Iran's uranium enrichment, insisting that its nuclear programmes are solely for civilian, peaceful purposes.
The numerous talks with the six powers, who fear Tehran's nuclear technology could be used for military projects, have so far gained no results.
An adviser to Ahmadinejad said earlier this week that both the president and chief nuclear negotiator Saeid Jalili wanted the venue of the next talks to be Istanbul again.
Tehran says if the world powers acknowledge Iran's right to pursue a civilian nuclear programmes, then Iran would engage in political cooperation.