TEHRAN -- Majlis deputy Mohammad Dadfar of Bushehr said that the reform movement in Iran will never be "contaminated" by U.S. support, saying Washington's "verbal backing" of reforms is merely meant to prepare the ground to root them out.

Speaking during the pre-debate speech of the Sunday session of the Majlis, Dadfar said the U.S. will never support Iranian reformers, adding that it is in favor of an authoritarian government in Iran which would support the unilateral U.S. system.

He said that the U.S. will never allow reformers to succeed in establishing democracy in the Islamic Republic out of fear that the same pattern would be followed by other countries.

Dadfar, who is also a member of the Article 90 Commission of the Majlis, said that the reforms President Mohammad Khatami is campaigning for are not inspired by any foreign power but are based on the will of the Iranian nation.

He said that reformers in Iran are pressing ahead with their campaign in response to the public will and that nothing can ever stop them from continuing their efforts.

Dadfar added that the sense of liberalism, patriotism and religiosity of Iranians are not something that foreigners can easily understand.

He said the so-called "enemy's fifth column elements" could only be found in those political camps that are trying to portray reformers who enjoy the support of 22 million Iranians as supporting enemies, and resorting to every effort to frustrate the public support for the Islamic Republic.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Dadfar said the coincidence of recent political developments in Iran with the visits by top EU officials, President Khatami's visit to Malaysia and the recent anti-Iranian resolution of the U.S. Congress had aroused "serious suspicion" among Article 90 Commission members.