 A badly damaged seal sits on the former US embassy, known as the den of spies, in Tehran. |
Iran says there would be no negotiations between Tehran and Washington unless the US changes its aggressive policies towards the country.
"To date, there have been no official negotiations with the Americans,” Iran's intelligence Minster, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejeie, said referring to media reports that that top Obama advisers and Iranian officials have been negotiating over the past year.
The head of Pugwash Conferences, a nongovernmental group devoted to promoting international understanding, claimed that top Obama advisers and Iranian officials have over the past year met each other for several times.
Pugwash chief, Jeffrey Boutwell said three meetings were held in the Netherlands and the final one in Vienna.
The Iranian Minister added that 'negotiations have certain requirements', which had not been met during Bush's eight-year term.
Ejeie, however, did not rule out the possibility of unofficial contacts between certain individuals within both counties.
"There may have been instances in some conferences and meetings where an official from Iran has exchanged greetings with officials from other countries,” the Minister said.
"This may also happen in the future,” Ejeie added, maintaining that "this can not be called negotiation."
In an October visit to the United States, an Iranian parliamentary delegation received a request for talks from a group of US lawmakers.
Pugwash chief, Jeffrey Boutwell said three meetings were held in the Netherlands and the final one in Vienna.
The Iranian Minister added that 'negotiations have certain requirements', which had not been met during Bush's eight-year term.
Ejeie, however, did not rule out the possibility of unofficial contacts between certain individuals within both counties.
"There may have been instances in some conferences and meetings where an official from Iran has exchanged greetings with officials from other countries,” the Minister said.
"This may also happen in the future,” Ejeie added, maintaining that "this can not be called negotiation."
In an October visit to the United States, an Iranian parliamentary delegation received a request for talks from a group of US lawmakers.
"We have received a polite letter from the US Congress on parliamentary negotiations between the two countries," Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani revealed in November.
"We are studying the letter. We have not rejected it, but we have not given a positive response either," he said adding that a decision had been taken to postpone the response until after the US elections on November 4.
Washington severed diplomatic ties with Tehran in 1979 a short time after the Islamic revolution toppled a US-allied monarch in the country.
The then Shah of Iran had come to power after Eisenhower administration overthrew the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Mohammed Mosaddeq in order to re-establish British control over Iranian oil.
As the first successful Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) overthrow of a foreign government in history, operation TP-AJAX became the blueprint for further coups and destabilization operations against governments during the Cold War.
Such operations have led to similar long-term animosities toward the United States.
In a March 2000 address, former US secretary of state Madeleine K. Albright acknowledged the pivotal role of the coup in the troubled relations between the two countries and came closer to apologizing than any other US official.
"The Eisenhower administration believed its actions were justified for strategic reasons," she said. "But the coup was clearly a setback for Iran's political development. And it is easy to see now why many Iranians continue to resent this intervention by America in their internal affairs."
"We are studying the letter. We have not rejected it, but we have not given a positive response either," he said adding that a decision had been taken to postpone the response until after the US elections on November 4.
Washington severed diplomatic ties with Tehran in 1979 a short time after the Islamic revolution toppled a US-allied monarch in the country.
The then Shah of Iran had come to power after Eisenhower administration overthrew the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Mohammed Mosaddeq in order to re-establish British control over Iranian oil.
As the first successful Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) overthrow of a foreign government in history, operation TP-AJAX became the blueprint for further coups and destabilization operations against governments during the Cold War.
Such operations have led to similar long-term animosities toward the United States.
In a March 2000 address, former US secretary of state Madeleine K. Albright acknowledged the pivotal role of the coup in the troubled relations between the two countries and came closer to apologizing than any other US official.
"The Eisenhower administration believed its actions were justified for strategic reasons," she said. "But the coup was clearly a setback for Iran's political development. And it is easy to see now why many Iranians continue to resent this intervention by America in their internal affairs."
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