TEHRAN: Hardline Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday he was ready for "face-to-face" talks with his US counterpart Barack Obama on issues concerning the international community.

"We are hopefully coming for the UN assembly," Ahmadinejad said in an address to expatriate Iranians which was broadcast live on state television.

"We are ready to sit down with Mr Obama face-to-face and put the global issues on the table, man-to-man, freely, and in front of the media and see whose solutions are better."

Ahmadinejad is expected to travel to New York for the UN General Assembly meeting next month.

BDST: 1530 HRS, July 02, 2010