SPIEGEL: The West has made your government a new offer to resolve the dispute over the enrichment of uranium. Will Tehran agree to it this time?

Mohammed Nahavandian: We have also submitted a proposal. The two offers contain many similarities. That is why I'm approaching our meeting with the European Union negotiator Javier Solano, which is supposed to be held later this month, with confidence. I believe that we will start the official negotiations very soon.

SPIEGEL: What's your optimism based on?

Nahavandian: The West has realized that Iran is a big country with power and influence. One can't push us around. However, as an equal partner we share many interests. Iran also wants peace and stability in the region and we also want economic prosperity for us as well as our neighbors.

SPIEGEL: Critics believe your willingness to take part in talks is merely a trick, a way for you to buy more time to secretly build a nuclear bomb.

Nahavandian: The Islamic Republic wants to master nuclear enrichment to use it for civil purposes. That is our right. Now we have this technology and so we have reached our goal. Now is a good time to negotiate out of a position of strength.

SPIEGEL: So, will Tehran stop enrichment?

Nahavandian: We don't want to jump the gun on the actual negotiations, but we view the fundamental development very positively and are of the impression that even the United States wants to use this opportunity to forge an agreement.

SPIEGEL: There is talk of international cooperation in uranium enrichment -- supposedly in Armenia -- as a way out.

Nahavandian: We are thinking about international cooperation in Tehran. We want to advance our country technologically and cooperation is a superb way of doing that. At the same time, a partnership enables the West to get its desired insight into production operations. As president of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, I hope that it will also revive our traditionally good relationship with Germany.

SPIEGEL: And if Israel still doesn't trust your government and attacks Iranian nuclear facilities?