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Iran denies secret negotiations with U.S.

Iran Materials 1 February 2009 17:17 (UTC +04:00)

Iran's intelligence Minster Gholam - Hossein Mohseni-Ejeie denied any secret negotiations with the U.S., Xinhua reported on Sunday, referring to Iran satellite Press TV.

"To date, there have been no official negotiations with the Americans... and there would be no negotiations between Tehran and Washington unless the U.S. changes its aggressive policies towards the country," Mohseni-Ejeie was quoted as saying.

He denied the claims that new U.S. President Barak Obama's top advisers and Iranian officials have over the past year met each other for several times.

Referring to the term of "change" that Obama have incessantly pronounced in his presidential campaign, thereafter, he said that "negotiations have certain requirements," adding that, however, " There may have been instances in some conferences and meetings where an official from Iran has exchanged greetings with officials from other countries," and "this may also happen in the future ( which) can not be called negotiation."

In November, Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said that " We have received a polite letter from the U.S. Congress on parliamentary negotiations between the two countries," and "We are studying the letter."

In a recent interview with Dubai-based Al-Arabiya television, Obama said "if countries like Iran are willing to unclench their fist, they will find an extended hand from us."

Observers said Iran's expectations of "change" would be viewed as the preconditions set for the new U.S. officials ahead of earnest, direct and vigorous diplomacy.

In his Wednesday speech, Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also said that the United States must "apologize" for its "crimes against Iran" in the past 60 years and try to remedy its past faults.

"Those who say they want to make changes should apologize to the Iranian people and try to make up for their past faults and crimes they committed against Iran," Ahmadinejad said.

The United States and its allies have accused Tehran of its intention to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran denied the charges and insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

The United States severed its ties with Iran in 1980. Since then, Washington has been trying to beef up its sanctions against Tehran for allegedly developing secretly nuclear weapons and for being involved in anti-U.S. coalition forces activities.

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