TEHRAN -- Iran on Wednesday denied a report published in the ****New York Times**** claiming that Tehran had offered humanitarian aid to U.S. troops in its territory if needed as U.S. forces pursue the war on terrorism.

The newspaper also claimed that the United States in return promised Tehran that Iranian territorial integrity would be respected including its airspace for the duration of the military campaign against Afghanistan.

However, speaking to the TEHRAN TIMES, a senior official at the Foreign Ministry dismissed the claim saying that there has been no such a deal.

He said, "As the Foriegn Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Assefi has underlined Iran will naturally act in line with international conventions which stress helping persons and aircrafts in emergencies such as a force landing or crash."

"But it does not mean that Iran would provide any kind of help to U.S. forces in case they need it," he noted.

Also, Philip Reeker, the U.S. State Department deputy spokesman, did not confirm that any such deal had been reached with Tehran.