TEHRAN, Jan. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- Iran reiterated Sunday that a changed US attitude toward Tehran is the sole precondition for Iran's possible engagement in a direct dialogue on its nuclear issue with the United States, the official IRNA news agency reported.

    "The most explicit demand of Iran for entering into dialogue with the United States is that it changes its behavior and attitude toward the Islamic Republic," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi was quoted as saying.

    "Iran has clear-cut policies in regard to this matter, and we do not really consider the negotiations necessary," Asefi said, pointing out Iran and the United States are actually holding talks through various intermediaries.

    "Since the United States has shown no change in attitude and any such talks would render no positive outcome, there is no need for direct talks," Asefi added.

    Iran and the United States, who had been close allies in the 1970s, turned into enemies following the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1979.

    The United States accuses Iran of developing secret nuclear weapons and sponsoring terrorists, labelling Iran as part of the so-called "axis of evil" and imposing harsh sanctions on Iran.

    Iran, in return, terms the United States as the enemy of the whole Islamic world.

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