Ahmadinejad proposes face-to-face debate with Obama at UN

Washington, May 26 (ANI): Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has proposed a face-to-face debate with US President Barack Obama at the United Nations (UN), in the case he's re-elected next month as Iran's president.

According to a report by CBS News, Ahmadinejad's offer of a debate to Obama could be campaign posturing before the June 12 vote.

But, it does put Ahmadinejad on record as supporting a potentially groundbreaking encounter following Obama's offer for dialogue.

Obama has urged a "serious process of engagement" after Iran's elections in an effort to end a nearly 30-year diplomatic chill.

Ahmadinejad said that, if re-elected, he would be open to "debate global issues as well as world peace and security" during the U.N. General Assembly in September.

There was no immediate reaction from Washington.

Ahmadinejad has often denounced the West for trying to pressure Iran to give up it uranium enrichment program, a process that can produce fuel for both nuclear energy and nuclear weapons.

Tehran insists it is only to fuel peaceful reactors, but the West worries could lead to nuclear weapons development.

His latest comments appear to be part of a campaign strategy to portray himself as the only candidate capable to defending Iran's nuclear technology. (ANI)