No contact with U.S. officials during UN visit

(MNA) – Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast says there had been no contact between Iranian and U.S. officials during the visit of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his entourage to New York to participate in the annual session of the UN General Assembly.

“There was never any contact, meeting, or dialogue with American officials,” Mehmanparast told the Al-Alam TV network in New York on Sunday night.

“In the Islamic Republic of Iran all decisions about major foreign policy matters are made with the coordination of the country’s senior officials and under the supervision of the Supreme Leader,” Mehmanparast stated.

In interviews with U.S. media outlets in New York President Ahmadinejad raised the possibility of dialogue between Tehran and Washington, saying some world leaders have stated that Iran would be better off holding nuclear talks only with the United States.

“Of course I am not dismissing such talks,” Ahmadinejad told AP when asked if he were open to discussions with the winner of the U.S. presidential election.

Ali Akbar Velayati, the senior advisor to the Supreme Leader, said on Saturday that Iran’s policy toward relations with the United States has not changed.

“Iran is adherent to its strong policies shaped by Imam Khomeini (RA) and approved by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution,” Velayati said in an interview with the Persian service of the Mehr News Agency.