JERUSALEM (AFP) - High-ranking Iranian officials tried last year to launch secret talks with Israel, Tehran's arch-enemy, but were rebuffed by the Jewish state, former Israeli foreign minister David Levy was quoted as saying Tuesday.

"Sources close to the Iranian government tried several times last year to engage in a secret dialogue with Israel," Levy told the daily Yediot Aharonot, adding that he had "categorically rejected the idea because nothing good would have come out of it."

It would have put Israel in an undesirable and difficult situation with regard to the United States, which accuses Iran of supporting what it labels terrorism and operates a unilateral economic embargo against it.

Tehran's foreign ministry rejected the claim as a propaganda bid to undermine the Islamic world's public opinion toward Iran.

Questioned Tuesday by Israel's public radio, Levy added, "We examined Iran's approaches and concluded that they would have caused us problems. Iran may well be seeking contacts, but the time is not ripe for us."

Yediot quoted a senior Israeli official as saying that the Iranian initiative came from associates of reformist President Mohammad Khatami.

"The Zionist regime has frequently used similar propaganda to weaken the firm and fundamental stance of the Islamic republic," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said, quoted by Tehran's state IRNA news agency.

Iran does not recognize the Jewish state and has expressed the view that it should be eliminated and all its territory come under Palestinian sovereignty.

But at the same time Tehran has said it will not interfere with the Middle East peace process.

Last April, Israeli Justice Minister Yossi Beilin said Israel should reconsider its relations with Iran in light of the electoral success of reformist supporters of Khatami.

Following Khatami's election in 1997, Israel also downgraded its view of the Islamic republic from an enemy country to a potential threat.

	Four Israelis Killed In Kashmir
	Globalization Battle Turns Violent At IMF/World Bank Meetings
	Kostunica Rejects Presidential Run-Off Against Milosevic
	Jordan To Fly To Iraq
	Philippines: Schilling Contacted U.S. Embassy While Malaysia Urges Negotiations
	Security Council Again Demands Indonesia Disarm Militias As UN Troops Kill Militiaman
	Egyptian Pilots Demand Flights To Iraq Be Resumed
	Kashmir Separatists Hold Talks With European Envoys
	Poor Conditions For Millions Of Refugees In Azerbaijan
	Mosque In Argentina Inaugurated Amid Neighbors' Concerns

Top News