Iranian regime rejects reports on direct talks with US

TEHRAN (ISNA)- An Iranian senior foreign ministry official rejected reports on direct talks between Iranian and the US officials during the recent meeting in the capital Kazakh city of Almaty.

"News on talks (between Iran and the US) is not true. They called for the talks, but it was not held," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said.

He further added, regarding direct talks between Iran and the US, Iran may consider negotiations with the country, if it stops enmity with the Iranian nation and changes its attitude.

The Iranian foreign ministry official also added, "Iran is serious for talks as it has announced earlier. It does not see the atmosphere negative and believes that Almaty 2 talks can make Almaty 1 talks complete."

Last week, Iran and the six world powers wrapped up their 4th round of talks after two days of intensive negotiations in Almaty.

The Iranian team was led by Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC)Saeed Jalili, and the G5+1's representatives were presided by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Iran had announced a day prior to the start of the talks that it would enter the negotiations with the G5+1 with clear, groundbreaking proposals.

Iran has so far ruled out halting or limiting its nuclear work in exchange for trade and other incentives, saying that renouncing its rights under the NPT would encourage the world powers to put further pressure on the country and would not lead to a change in the West's hardline stance on Tehran.

Iran is under four rounds of UN Security Council sanctions for turning down West's calls to give up its right of uranium enrichment. The United States and the European Union have ratcheted up their sanctions on Iran this year to force it to curb its nuclear program.

Iranian officials have always shrugged off the sanctions, saying that pressures make them strong and reinvigorate their resolve to further move towards self-sufficiency.

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