(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-01-03 22:53

TEHRAN -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Thursday that now it's not the appropriate time to resume diplomatic ties with the United States since it cannot "benefit" Iranian people, the state media reported.

"We have never said the ties between the two countries will be cut forever... but under the current conditions of the US government, it's harmful to resume the relations and we should not do it," Khamenei, who has the final say on all national matters in Iran, was quoted as telling a student group meeting in the central Iranian province of Yazd.

"The US still hold its hostile (policy)... it (resuming ties) will endanger Iran's security and will not benefit the Iranian nation," he added.

But the leader also said he was willing to improve relations with Washington at the right moment, saying "I will be the first one to support the ties if it is beneficial to the Iranian nation."

Tehran and Washington broke up their diplomatic ties since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution and the succedent hostage incident of US embassy which was taken over by the Islamic students in 1980.

Relations between the two long foes have escalated in the past two years due to Tehran's controversial nuclear program. The US and some of its allies accused Iran of using a civilian cover to develop atomic weapons, but Iran denied all the accusations, saying its nuclear plan was just for peaceful purposes.

Under the push by the US government, the United Nations Security Council is now discussing a third sanction resolution against Tehran's nuclear program, in order to persuade it to suspend the sensitive uranium enrichment work.

However, Iran has repeatedly vowed to continue its nuclear development in the frame work of international regulations and termed the previous two UN sanctions as "worthless paper."

The White House also slammed Tehran for its "intervention" in Iraqi affairs and accused it of supporting illegal insurgents to fight with US forces in that war-torn country. Iran also denied the charges.