Spokesman: Iran blasts Obama for repeating Bush's mistakes

TEHRAN, Feb. 7 -- Iran's government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham on Saturday criticized the new U.S. President Barack Obama for following George Bush's approach towards Iran, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported.

"The era of this (Bush's) literature has passed and speaking in the language of the past is not suitable for today's situation," Elham said, referring to Obama's emphasis on the need for the suspension of Iran's nuclear activities.

"Today you cannot speak illogically and you cannot set preconditions," he added.

Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Speaker Ali Larijani on Friday urged the new U.S. administration to change policies toward Iran and admit past "wrongdoings" before dialogue and reconciliation could be realized between the two countries.

"The carrot and stick policy (toward Iran) must be dropped," said Larijani at the three-day Munich Security Conference, which opened Friday afternoon.

Obama has expressed his willingness to talk to Iran, but Larijani had ruled out direct talks with the U.S. delegation on the sidelines of the Munich event.

The United States severed its ties with Iran in 1980. Since then, Washington has been trying to beef up its sanctions against Tehran for being involved in anti-U.S. coalition forces activities and for allegedly developing nuclear weapons secretly.

Iran denied the charges and insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.