TEHRAN, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Iran's ex-president Hashemi Rafsanjani on Friday warned the United States and Britain not to repeat their Iraq mistakes in Iran.

    Rafsanjani made the warning one day after U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair admitted during a press conference at the White House that "mistakes" and "missteps" had been made in Iraq.

    "You see, two big leaders of two great occupying countries are making such important confessions," Rafsanjani said in his Friday prayer sermon, which was carried live on Iran's state radio. Rafsanjani said that the two would also make such confessions about Iran if they do not give up their hard stance toward Iran's nuclear program.

    Rafsanjani's remarks came amid diplomats from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany are expected to have more talks on a decision to offer Iran a package of incentives in return for Iran's suspension of its nuclear activities, after their London talks on May 24 stopped short of making a final agreement.

    Diplomats from the six nations have made encouraging progress over the package to Iran, as a compromise proposal, which would drop the automatic threat of military action but still pack the threat of sanctions if Iran remains defiant, was reached.

    Washington has been accusing Tehran of using its civilian nuclear program as a cover to develop an atomic bomb, a charge denied by Iran, which insists its nuclear program is only for peaceful use. Enditem