By Xinhua

TEHRAN, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Tuesday that direct talks with the United Stateson bilateral relations is "possible, but the conditions should be met."

However, Ahmadinejad said that "I don't think under current circumstances, negotiations will take place between the two countries."

International relations are based on "dialogue principle," but these dialogues should be based on "justice and respect," he said, adding that it will be a "mistake" if one side intends to push the other to come to negotiation table under "pressure."

The Americans should notice Iran's rights and accept them, retreat from their positions against the Islamic republic and " correct their behavior" toward Iranians, said Ahmadinejad, maintaining that then they will receive "positive" response from the Islamic republic.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said there is no ground for the restoration of Iran-U. S. relations and no measure has been taken so far in this regard, Tehran Times daily reported Tuesday.

"Due to the fact that the Americans have taken numerous hostile actions against our nation throughout history, the ground has not been prepared for negotiations with them so far," Mehmanparast was quoted as saying.

The restoration of relations may take place "if they (the Americans) accept their past mistakes, apologize to our people, and make efforts to bring about a situation under which the rights of our people are recognized," he said.

The spokesman said Iranian officials did not contact or hold any meeting with U.S. officials during their recent visit to New York to attend the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly, according to the report.

"There has been no contact, meeting or talks with the U.S. government officials," he said.

The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Iran on April 7, 1980, after a group of Iranian students seized the U.S. embassy and captured some 60 U.S. diplomats in 1979. Among the diplomats 52 were held captive for 444 days in the hostage crisis.

According to Tehran Times, during his recent visit to New York to address the annual UN General Assembly, Ahmadinejad did not rule out the possibility of talks between Iran and the United States to normalize relations.

However, Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Iran's supreme leader, said Saturday that there is no change in Iran's policy toward its relations with the United States.

Iran's policy concerning the relations with the United States is like the past and "no decision in regard to changing the policy has been made," Velayati was quoted as saying by Tehran Times daily.

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of Iran's Majlis (parliament) National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, also said Sunday that negotiation and relations with the United States is the Islamic republic's "red line."

Any move concerning the Iran-U.S. ties can not be implemented without seeking the Iranian supreme leader's viewpoints, Boroujerdi was quoted by semi-official Mehr news agency as saying.

Boroujerdi said due to the U.S. "hostile policies" against the Islamic republic, there can not be any discussion about the relations and negotiations with the United States.

 

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