Iran needs "stop button" on nuclear program - Rice

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice responded to Iran's declaration that it had no "reverse gear" on its nuclear program by saying on Sunday that what Iran needed to do was halt weapons-related activities.

Rice said if Tehran did so, the United States was prepared to discussed trade and political issues, and she would be willing to meet her Iranian counterpart.

"They don't need a reverse gear. They need a stop button," Rice said on "Fox News Sunday."

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Sunday that Iran had obtained the technology to produce nuclear fuel and its program was now like a train "which has no brake and no reverse gear."

The United States accuses Iran of wanting to develop nuclear weapons, but Iran says it is only seeking nuclear power for peaceful purposes. Last week, Iran ignored a U.N. deadline to halt uranium enrichment, a process that can be used to make fuel for power plants or nuclear warheads.

Diplomatic pressure has prompted others in Iran to question Ahmadinejad's stance, Rice said on ABC's "This Week."

"People in Iran are concerned about the fact that financial institutions are moving out of Iran and refusing to deal with Iran," she said. "They're concerned that their oil and gas fields need investment that they're probably not going to be able to get."

Rice said on Fox that if Iran were to stop its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities, "we can sit down and talk about whatever is on Iran's mind."

"I am prepared to meet my counterpart or the Iranian representative at any time, if Iran will suspend its enrichment and reprocessing activities. That should be a clear signal," she said.