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Iran Denies Secret Contacts With US on Normalization of Ties
Iran has denied reports on " secret contacts" with Washington following the September 11 terror attacks on the United States and ruled out any normalization of ties between the two countries.
Local daily Kayhan International Wednesday quoted Iranian President Mohammad Khatami as saying that "there are no new developments between Iran and the United States and our position towards that country remains the same."
The New York Times reported last week a secret Iranian offer to provide humanitarian aid to U.S. troops, which was relayed to Washington via the Swiss Embassy representing U.S. interests in Iran. In return, the U.S. promised that Iran's territorial integrity, including airspace, would be respected during the U.S.- led military strikes on Afghanistan.
Khatami told local reporters that there have been no contacts between Washington and Tehran, saying that "the U.S. has told us everything they wanted to tell us, notably the current regional situation, through usual channels, and there have been no negotiations or contacts behind the scenes."
On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi also denied a London-based daily's report that security officials of Iran, the U.S. and Turkey held meetings in Ankara last week on the future of Afghanistan and ways of information cooperation after the overthrow of the Afghan Taliban regime.
"Such reports are mere lies," the spokesman said.
The U.S. has been pounding the Afghan ruling Taliban militia since October 7 for harboring Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, who was blamed for the September 11 terror attacks on Washington and New York.
Iran has condemned the terror attacks on the U.S., but also denounced the U.S.-led military strikes against Afghanistan, bordering Iran.
The U.S. and Iran severed relations after the 1979 Islamic revolution. The two countries have since imposed policies of hostility towards each other.
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