Change in Tehran-Washington Ties Depends on U.S. Concrete Steps
He said Iran is looking at the new American administration to see if it takes any steps toward making up for Washington's past wrongdoings in its relations with Iran.
Washington severed its relations with Tehran in 1980, after students following the path of Imam took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.
President Mohammad Khatami, ahead of his landslide reelection victory asked the U.S. government to bring "fundamental changes" to its stance toward the Islamic Republic before a resumption of Tehran-Washington ties could be debated.
"As long as the American statesmen are under the influence of certain lobbies and continue to undermine the interest of their own nation and companies and economy, it is very clear that they have to revise their policies."
Iran has made talks with the U.S. conditional on an end to the sanctions and the unfreezing of some $10 billion of its assets in U.S. banks since November 1980.
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Assefi condemned U.S. sanctions on Iran on May 22, at the anniversary of the day when they went into effects, saying they had been inconsequential and that they had hurt Washington more than Iran.
In March, U.S. President George W. Bush renewed a ban on U.S. trade and investment with Iran, pending a review of policy toward the Islamic Republic.
The sanctions that expired last March had been imposed by former president Bill Clinton in 1995. The Bush administration has questioned the effectiveness of economic sanctions in general, and has also shown an interest in improving relations with Iran.
Many U.S. companies, including oil giant Conoco, have been vocal critics of unilateral sanctions, urging the U.S. government to curtail the use of unilateral sanctions and "find more constructive and effective ways of promoting positive change around the world."
Meanwhile, Ahani condemned Europe's silence in the face of blatant violation of human rights in the Palestinian lands by the Zionist Israeli troops, saying the European countries should take serious measures to guarantee the return of Palestinian refugees to their homes.
Israeli troops have shot dead more than 490 Palestinians since they mounted on a popular uprising against Israeli occupation.
Iran does not recognize the Jewish state and has always called for destruction of Israel as the only solution to the turbulent Middle East peace process.
An IRNA report also said Spain's Foreign Minister Josep Pique will pay an official visit to the Islamic Republic in the upcoming months, he announced here on Thursday during a meeting with visiting Iranian deputy foreign minister.
Ahani, instead, announced Iranian President Mohammad Khatami's readiness to pay an official visit to Spain in response to an invitation by the country's Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar.
President Khatami is scheduled to make the visit next fall in response to Aznar's October 2000 official visit to Tehran.
Pique said that Madrid was firm in its drive to strengthen ties with the Islamic Republic.
He congratulated President Khatami's landslide reelection victory, saying a massive turnout of Iranians in the polls was highly important.