Iran has signaled it does not intend to meet the latest deadline in ongoing negotiations with world powers over its controversial nuclear program.

The United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia have given Iran until Saturday to accept an incentives package in exchange for suspending uranium enrichment activities, or risk additional sanctions. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, 18 Jul 2008

But Iran's foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, Thursday rejected the notion any deadline had been set.

Mottaki told Iran's official news agency that Iran had already presented its views, and that it is waiting for a reply.

Western nations accuse Iran of enriching uranium in order to make nuclear weapons.  Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. 

On Wednesday, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said his country will not give in to demands to suspend uranium enrichment. 

Earlier this week, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told a U.S. media outlet that Iran wants to seek "common ground" with the U.S. on the nuclear issue.

Meanwhile, a group of 118 developing nations, The Nonaligned Movement, has expressed support for Iran's controversial nuclear program, saying Tehran has a right to develop peaceful nuclear energy.

The U.N. Security Council has imposed three sets of sanctions on Iran for defying international demands to suspend enrichment.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP.