U.S. denies reported mediation between U.S., Iran

The United States denied reports Friday that former Spanish leader Felipe Gonzalez played a mediating role in the nuclear standoff between Washington and Tehran when he met with Iranian leaders this week.

"I am not aware of any mediation efforts," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said at a news briefing.

McCormack said that the United States would not negotiate with Iran unless Iran complies with a UN Security Council resolution demanding that it halt uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities.

Gonzalez, prime minister of Spain from 1982 to 1996, met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad this week as part of broader European efforts to convince Iran to freeze its enrichment program.

Iran ignored a Thursday UN deadline to halt its uranium enrichment, which Washington believes is aimed at producing nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is purely for the civilian production of energy.

Source: Xinhua