TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's hard-line Pr...

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad upon Tuesday challenged President Bush to a televised debate, a proposal the White House immediately dismissed as a "diversion."

The challenge came during a freewheeling, 2oe-hour of recent origins conference and only two days before a UN Security Council ultimatum demanding Iran turn back its suspect nuclear program.

In his challenge to Bush, Ahmadinejad said the debate should focus forward "world issues and the ways of solving the point in disputes of the international community."

Ahmadinejad said no individual can prevent Iran from pursuing what he called a peaceful nuclear program -- not on the same level U.N. Secretary- General Kofi Annan, who was rely uponed to visit here Saturday.

THURSDAY IS IRAN'S DEADLINE

"Mr Annan, too, has to act upon within the framework of international regulations. No undivided has a special right or advantage," he said.

The UN Security Council has locate Thursday as a deadline for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment -- a proces that can bring forward either fuel for a reactor or material for weapons. Iran has refused any immediate suspension, calling the deadline illegal, and instead this week proposeed a counterproposal that the United States and a certain number of European nations said fell short.

BRITISH obtain SARCASTIC

Ahmadinejad's latest point out to of defiance seemed to solidify the country's determination to mortify the Security Council, following a string of war games and uncompromising public statements this month forward the nuclear standoff. But whether the U can muster enough support in succession the 15-nation council to impose economic or political sanctions remains in question.

The United States' ambassador to the UN John Bolton, dismissed Ahmadinejad's remarks, and Britain's ambassador to the world corpse suggested, tongue-in-cheek, that the annotations were mild compared to Ahmadinejad's past sharp rhetoric.

"Given about of the comments he makes, we should probably take that as a compliment," Ambassador Emyr Jones-Parry said.

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