TEHRAN, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said here on Wednesday that U.S. President-elect Barack Obama should be given time for direct talks with Iran, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

    In a response to Obama adviser's stress on the direct talks with Iran, Mottaki said that "We are considering the words of Americans, but we are waiting for their stance after Jan. 21, 2009(after Obama officially enters the White House)."

    Dennis Ross Obama's Middle East adviser said in Denver on Tuesday that "We need to engage them (Iranian officials) directly. Barack Obama made it clear he was prepared to engage Iran directly, but he also said we have to prepare," The Denver Post said.

    "Now that Obama himself asks for time (for direct talks with Iran), he should be given with that," Mottaki added.

    Iran's government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham said last Saturday that the talks between Iran and the United States is not the main issue and the U.S. policy change towards Iran is required, according to Iran's official IRNA news agency.

    "Holding of the talks is not the main issue, what is important is the change of U.S. policy towards Iran," Elham was quoted as saying at his weekly press conference.

    "The next U.S. administration should take the issue of changing its approach towards Iran seriously," he said, adding that "If there is a change, then, there will be new prospects."

    Referring implicitly to the recent results of the U.S. presidential election, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said last Wednesday that "Superficial changes in governments and administrations will have no effect on us."

    Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Qashqavi also said Monday that Iran did not expect much change in the U.S. policies.

    Addressing his first press conference since Nov. 4 election, Obama said in Chicago earlier this month that Iran's development of nuclear weapon is "unacceptable."

    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.