By Yeganeh Torbati

DUBAI, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Iranian President Mahmoud

Ahmadinejad said on Sunday Tehran would not negotiate about its

disputed nuclear programme under pressure, but would talk to its

adversaries if they stopped 'pointing the gun'.

In a speech to mark the 34th anniversary of the Islamic

revolution, he struck a more conciliatory tone than Supreme

Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who on Feb. 7 rebuffed a U.S.

call for direct negotiations between the two countries.

Ahmadinejad does not have the authority to authorise talks

over the nuclear programme, which lies with Khamenei. Iran has

already agreed to a new round of talks with world powers, but

not direct U.S. talks, in Kazakhstan on Feb. 26.

'You cannot point a gun at the Iranian nation and then

expect them to have negotiations with you,' Ahmadinejad told a

crowd gathered in the capital Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) Square.

His speech was carried live on state television.

'Talks should not be used as a lever to impose one's

opinions ... If you stop pointing the gun at the Iranian nation,

I will negotiate (with you) myself,' he added.

The United States and some of its allies suspect Iran may be

trying to develop atomic weapons capability under the cover of a

civilian nuclear energy programme, a charge Iran has denied.

Many experts believe any nuclear deal needs a U.S.-Iranian

thaw and direct talks addressing myriad sources of mutual

mistrust and hostility lingering since the 1979 Islamic

Revolution and hostage crisis at the U.S. embassy in Tehran.

ENEMIES 'WILL NOT SUCCEED'

Tehran wants sanctions lifted that have slashed oil exports

and helped cut the value of the Iranian rial, raising inflation

and weakening purchasing power for ordinary Iranians.

People held banners saying 'Down With U.S.A.' at

state-organised demonstrations in Tehran and other cities to

mark the anniversary of the ousting of a Western-friendly

monarchy in favour of clerical leadership under Ayatollah

Ruhollah Khomeini.

Ahmadinejad did not address specifics of the planned talks

in Kazakhstan. He said Iran would counter sanctions by boosting

non-oil exports and weaning itself off crude oil revenues.

'Enemies are trying their utmost to put pressure on the

Iranian nation to stop its progress but they will not succeed,'

he said.

Khamenei on Thursday rejected a U.S. offer of direct talks,

saying talks and pressure were incompatible.

He was believed to have been replying to remarks by Vice

President Joe Biden, who said on Feb. 2 the United States was

ready for direct talks if Iran was serious about negotiations.

SHOW OF UNITY

The national celebrations are taking place a week after

Ahmadinejad and his political rival, parliamentary speaker Ali

Larijani, traded public accusations of corruption, an outbreak

of infighting that is expected to grow more vicious as the

country approaches presidential elections slated for June.

The parliament is dominated by a faction loyal to Khamenei

and hostile to Ahmadinejad, who cannot stand for reelection.

Khamenei, Iran's unelected leader, has struggled to suppress

rows among officials which have broken out into the open despite

warning that such public spats were a betrayal of the country.

The last presidential election in 2009 set off mass protests

at Ahmadinejad's victory, which opponents called fraudulent.

Ahmadinejad is believed to have since lost Khamenei's backing.

In January, Khamenei's representative to the powerful

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Ali Saeedi, said it was part

of the role of the Guards to 'engineer' the elections.

Ahmadinejad, who is believed to want to maintain influence

after stepping down, possibly by backing an ally as a candidate,

appeared to warn against such efforts on Sunday.

'Some people say they want to engineer and manage the

election,' Ahmadinejad said. 'The great Iranian nation knows

which path to take ... some must not speak or act in such a way

so as to play into the hands of Iran's deceitful enemies.'

(Reporting By Yeganeh Torbati, Editing by William Maclean and

Richard Meares)

((yeganeh.torbati@thomsonreuters.com)(+971 50 698 8495)(Reuters

Messaging: yeganeh.torbati.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))

(For an interactive timeline on Iran's nuclear programme, click on http://link.reuters.com/gad76r)

COPYRIGHT

Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. All rights reserved.

The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.