TEHRAN -- Head of the Expediency Council (EC), Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, in a meeting with Spanish ambassador to Tehran Leopoldo Stampa stressed expansion of bilateral ties in all areas between Iran and Spain.

He said that Iran and Spain have ample trade and economic potentials which should be used, IRNA reported.

Rafsanjani said each country has its own culture and values and other countries should recognize and respect these differences.

He also criticized the U.S. policies in the Middle East and called as "baseless" the U.S. assertion that Iran is attempting to acquire weapons of mass destruction.

Despite Iran's offering proofs in the past that it is not seeking to acquire these sort of weapons, the U.S. resorted to propaganda campaign to regain the interests it lost in Iran after the victory of Islamic Revolution, Hashemi-Rafsanjani said. Spanish ambassador referred to Iran's geo-political and geographical position adding "there is no obstacle on the way of expansion of diplomatic, economic and cultural ties between the two countries."

He further alluded to expiry of Spain's term as the rotating chairman of the EU during which Iran-Spain ties enjoyed strengthening.

With Spain assistance the MKO terrorist organization's name was put on the EU's list of terrorist groups, grounds were prepared for trade negotiations between Iran and EU and the latter reached an agreement with Iran on the issue of human rights, he said. Elsewhere, Stampa said last June that the decision taken by the European Council on June 17, 2002 to commence negotiations with Iran on a trade and commercial accord is "a step forward in Iran-EU relations."