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Iranian ambassador challenges his US counterpart to nuclear debate
VIENNA, Sept 14 (AFP) Sep 14, 2006
Iran's ambassador to the UN nuclear watchdog on Thursday challenged his US counterpart to an "open-ended" debate on Washington's call for sanctions against the Iranian nuclear program.

"I am fully prepared . . . to have comprehensive review to technical, legal, security and political aspects in an open-ended meeting in a debate with the US ambassador in order to prove . . . that allegations are baseless and the Islamic Republic of Iran is (the) victim of neglect, discrimination and double standards," Ali Asghar Soltanieh told a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna.

Soltanieh's challenge echoed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad call on US President George W. Bush to a debate.