Iran's foreign minister says Washington's "tough stance" on Iran's nuclear program is aimed at appeasing US public opinion ahead of the midterm vote, Press TV reported.
Manouchehr Mottaki said the US-brokered talks between Israel and the Palestinians and the US push for UN Security Council and unilateral sanctions against Iran were part of a political game.
"A month before the midterm congressional vote, [US President Barack] Obama suddenly wants to solve the Palestinian issue, in a way seeking to placate to US public opinion," Mehr new agency quoted Mottaki as saying on Thursday.
"Of course Obama has been instigated to adopt a tough stance against Iran and revive the case for Palestine at the same time," he added.
Mottaki criticized Washington for snubbing the Tehran nuclear fuel swap declaration, signed by Iran, Turkey and Brazil three weeks before the imposition of the UNSC sanctions.
Iranian officials have repeatedly refuted Western allegations that Tehran is following a military nuclear program, arguing that as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the country has the right to use peaceful nuclear energy.
The Iranian foreign minister also reiterated Tehran's call for a comprehensive probe into the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.
"Several years ago an incident, later dubbed the September 11 [attacks], occurred in the US, yet they refuse to release [data gathered from] the planes' black boxes and immediately attacked two Muslim countries," Mottaki said.