Ahmadinejad's defiant remarks were the latest sign Teheran's response contains no suggestion it is ready to suspend uranium enrichment activities, which world powers fear could be used to make a nuclear weapon.

In Paris, the European Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana said yesterday he was not too optimistic about prospects for a breakthrough with Iran on its suspect nuclear program, saying: "It's difficult."

Solana said he hoped to meet soon with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator after Teheran last week delivered its response to an international offer to halt uranium enrichment.

The Iranian state news agency IRNA quoted Ahmadinejad as saying: "It is a repetitive scenario." He was speaking in an interview with Malaysian television from Kuala Lumpur, where he is to attend the summit of the D8 group of developing nations.

"On one side they [world powers] ask to negotiate and on the other they threaten and say that we must give in to their illegal demands and renounce our rights," he added.

His comments come days after Iran gave an undisclosed response to the package from six world powers to break the deadlock in the nuclear standoff, which has raised fears of regional conflict and sent oil prices spiraling.

The proposal from the world powers offers Iran technological incentives in exchange for suspending uranium enrichment, which the West fears could lead to a dangerous nuclear stand-off.

The United States has never ruled out military action to end the Iranian defiance and concerns a strike could be imminent mounted after it emerged Iran's arch enemy Israel had carried out dry-runs for an attack.

Hitting out at the "satanic desires" of US President George W Bush, Ahmadinejad shrugged off the idea that the United States could attack Iran.

"Even if some countries like Israel and the United States join forces they will not dare to attack Iran and they know it very well," Ahmadinejad said.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE