Iran ready to cooperate on nuclear fuel: president

TEHRAN, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday that Tehran is ready to cooperate with world powers on issues regarding nuclear fuel, state TV reported.

"We welcome fuel exchange, nuclear cooperation, building of power plants and reactors and we are ready to cooperate," Ahmadinejad said in a speech in Iran's northeastern city of Mashhad.

He said that the West is now "cooperating with Iran" and hailed their change in the approach to the Iran nuclear issue "from confrontation to interaction."

Ahmadinejad reiterated that Iran will never give up its undeniable nuclear rights.

"The world must know that this government when it is in the hand of the people will not retreat one iota on its undeniable rights," he said.

"We will shake every hand that stretch out honestly," he said, "but our response to those who pursue hostility and dishonesty will be the same as that to Mr. (George W.) Bush."

He said that the issue of provision of nuclear fuel for Tehran's research reactor is an opportunity for Iran to evaluate the honesty of the world powers and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"Fortunately, conditions have been prepared for international cooperation in the nuclear field," he added.

Iran is expected to deliver later in the day its decision on an UN-drafted deal for Tehran to send low-enriched uranium abroad for further processing.

Iran will accept the framework of the nuclear deal proposed by the IAEA but wants significant changes to it, state-owned Arabic language Al-Alam TV reported Tuesday.