Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad favors negotiations on his country's nuclear program but won't halt uranium enrichment ahead of talks, U.N. chief Kofi Annan said Sunday after meeting the leader. «On the nuclear issue, the president reaffirmed to me Iran's preparedness and commitment to hold negotiations» with Western powers to find a solution to the impasse over Tehran's nuclear activities, Annan said. However, Ahmadinejad «reiterated that he did not accept suspension before negotiations,» Annan told a joint press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki. « Ahmadinejad also reaffirmed his support for a U.N. resolution on Lebanon that includes measures to prevent the rearming of Hezbollah, the U.N. chief told journalists, according to a report of the Associated Press.
