Iran defiant but 'ready' for nuke talks

TEHRAN, July 28 (AFP): Iran vowed Tuesday to press ahead with its nuclear programme even as it expressed readiness to resume talks on the controversial issue despite being slapped with tough new EU sanctions.

In a move condemned by Russia, the European Union imposed fresh sanctions on Iran's key energy sector on Monday in a bid to halt its sensitive enrichment of uranium while applying pressure to resume talks on the atomic programme.

In an interview with Iran's English-language Press TV posted on the channel's website Tuesday, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the Islamic republic would "resume nuclear talks with the West in September."