No change in Iran's stance on nuclear issue: envoy

TEHRAN, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Tuesday that Iran's stance on its nuclear issue has not changed, state IRIB TV reported.

Iran's envoy Ali Asghar Soltanieh has not said anything to TV channels about Iran's readiness for nuclear negotiations or about the conditions, the report said.

Earlier Tuesday, the state TV quoted Soltanieh as saying that "Iran's main stance on the nuclear issue is to hold negotiations without preconditions and on the basis of mutual respect."

U.S. President Barack Obama has given Iran until September to initiate multilateral talks over its disputed nuclear issue, or face further sanctions.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi has said that "we are not against talks but we will not allow world powers to press Iran with deadlines."

Washington has been trying to beef up its sanctions against Tehran for Iran's involvement in anti-U.S. activities and allegedly secret development of nuclear weapons.

Iran denied these charges and insisted that its nuclear program is for generating electricity only. The UN Security Council has imposed three sanctions on Iran for its ongoing uranium enrichment program.