The Iranian foreign minister yesterday said Iran was ready to discuss suspending uranium enrichment with the West, but would explain that Teheran believes any halt in enrichment would be "illogical."

His words, suggesting the nation may not give up uranium enrichment, came after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he wanted a "new Middle East," free from "the hegemony of America and Britain."

Ahmadinejad offered his vision for the region after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice described the fighting between Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas and Israel as the birth pangs of a new Middle East.

"In fact our nations also want a new Middle East. The Middle East that our nations want is a free Middle East, free from the hegemony of America and Britain," said Ahmadinejad during a rally in northwest Iran on Tuesday.

Many in the Muslim world share his view that US foreign policy is biased towards Israel.

"They (Israel) attacked Lebanon as an introduction to the new Middle East plan. They were under the assumption that they can stabilize their power by breaking the unity and resistance of the Lebanese nation." Ahmadinejad said.

Analysts say the Bush administration saw the conflict as a chance to disarm Hezbollah and punish its allies Syria and Iran.

But the fighting has also further enflamed relations between Iran and the US and Britain, in the run-up to the August 22 deadline for Iran to respond to a package of incentives, backed by six world powers, demanding the nation suspend uranium enrichment.

Source: China Daily