By DPA,
Tehran : Iran is to hold a conference to review the victory of Barack Obama in the US presidential elections and its impact on Tehran-Washington relations, the website of news network Press TV reported Monday.
One of the featured speakers will be Iran’s former ambassador to the United Nations, Mohammad-Javad Zarif, who is considered a US expert, the report said.
It said Obama’s pledge to hold unconditional talks with Iran has brought hope of change in Iran-US ties after almost three decades of diplomatic estrangement.
Foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi Monday said he hoped Obama would implement a major change in the status quo of bilateral ties.
He earlier said Tehran would reply favourably to any change of policy by Washington towards Iran, if Obama acted with sincerity.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was the first Iranian president since the 1979 Islamic revolution to send a congratulatory message to the man who will be his US counterpart upon inauguration in January.
Ahmadinejad said the Obama slogan of change should not just be superficial, but expressed hope that relations with the US would improve under the new leadership.
The administration of President George W Bush classified Iran as a member of a so-called “axis of evil” and accused the Islamic state of aiding terrorism and pursuing a secret nuclear weapons’ programme.
In denying those allegations, Tehran has in turn called the US “Great Satan” and enemy of Islam and Muslims worldwide.