Talks with US 'possible in near future'

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TEHRAN, Jul 15(AFP): President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has struck a more moderate tone towards the United States ahead of a key meeting on Iran's nuclear drive, saying talks with its arch-enemy were possible in the future.

"It is possible that in the near future talks in different fields will take place with the United States," the state news agency IRNA quoted Ahmadinejad as saying in an interview with state television late Monday.

Washington broke off relations with Tehran in 1980 in the wake of the Islamic revolution, and ties have remained severed ever since amid increasing acrimony over the controversial Iranian nuclear programme.

However the United States is also one of six big powers which have offered Iran negotiations on a package of incentives if Tehran suspends uranium enrichment, a process the West fears could be used to make nuclear weapons.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana-who presented the offer to Iran last month-is due to hold his latest talks on the package with Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili in Geneva on Saturday.

Ahmadinejad said that in the next months "certain things will happen" and insisted that no power in the world could afford to ignore Iran.

"Whichever party is elected in the United States will have to take note of this. In this regard we have received many messages," he said, referring to the US presidential election in November.