Ahmadinejad, right, made his speech days after Jalili , left, met held talks with Western envoys [AFP]

"The Iranian people are steadfast and will not step back an inch against the oppressive powers," Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday at a rally in the southwestern province of Kohgelouyeh-Boyerahmad.

His comments come after world powers said Iran has a fortnight to respond to an offer which seeks to end the five-year crisis over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

The US, Britain and China are among those who have offered to begin pre-negotiations on Iran’s uranium enrichment work.

They want Tehran to refrain from installing more uranium-enriching centrifuges in exchange for a block on further sanctions - the so-called freeze-for-freeze approach.

Sanctions threat

Iran is already facing three sets of UN Security Council sanctions for continuing its nuclear work, which the West says is aimed at making nuclear weapons.

Iran denies that it is looking to produce a nuclear bomb and says its programme is aimed at producing electricity.

Ahmadinejad’s latest statement comes after the US sent William Burns, an under-secretary of state, as its envoy to negotiations between Saeed Jalili, Iran's chief negotiator, and EU officials in Geneva last week.

Washington has said that Tehran could face "punitive measures" if it rejects the latest international offer and continues with its nuclear prrogramme in its current form.

'Positive step'

Ahmadinejad said the US presence in the Geneva talks was a "positive step" but he said that Iran would not change course, despite the threat of further sanctions.

"The Iranian nation does not value your threats. You are mistaken if you think you can force this nation to back down with sanctions, threats and pressure," Ahmadinejad said.

He advised US officials "not to ruin your positive step with irrelevant comments and a colonialist language".

Britain, China, France, Russia and the US – the five permanent UN Security Council members - plus Germany have offered to help Iran pursue a civilian nuclear programme in return for suspending enrichment.

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