TEHRAN, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi Monday asked U.S. President-elect Barack Obama not to repeat old U.S. policy on Iran, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Iran would "undoubtedly take due and timely stands by taking into account the performance and approaches of the next U.S. administration," Qashqavi said, adding that "we must see how will be the change in Obama's approaches and whether or not it will lead to a fundamental change in U.S. policy."
Obama said on Sunday that "We are going to have to take a new approach. And I've outlined my belief that engagement is the place to start," but added that "Iran is going to be one of our biggest challenges."
0bservers said it would be a different approach from that of President George W. Bush whose administration kept distance from the Iranians and never entered a serious dialogue with them over the issues which Tehran claimed to have the influence on.
Obama has not concealed his concern over Iran's support for regional Islamic hard-liners, Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah for one, and over Iran's nuclear enrichment.
Obama is going to take office as the president of the United States on Jan. 20, 2009.
The United States and its allies have accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran denies the charges and insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.