"My understanding is the presentation of EU three, and the United States and Russia and China has not yet been made to them specifically," Rumsfeld said.

"So clearly they are not in a position to respond until such time as they have had an opportunity to see what the proposal is," he said.

Rumsfeld spoke to reporters here after meeting with Malaysian Defense Minister Najib Razak on the sidelines of an international security conference.

Ahmadinejad on Saturday said Iran would consider a new proposal for ending a nuclear confrontation that is to be presented by Javier Solana, the EU foreign policy chief.

"But we say to them that nuclear technology, particularly the production of nuclear fuel, is part of our absolute rights, and we will not discuss these rights with anyone," he said in a speech.

"Negotiating our absolute right would be like accepting to negotiate on our independence. We will not negotiate our independence with anyone," he said.

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany on Thursday agreed to present Tehran with a package of incentives and the prospect of fresh multilateral talks on condition that Iran first suspends uranium enrichment.

The US has also promised to join the talks if Iran agrees, clearing the way for what could be the most substantive talks between the two adversaries since they severed diplomatic ties 26 years ago.

Iran risks UN Security Council action, possibly including sanctions, if it rejects the proposal.

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