Tehran, March 22 (DPA) Iran’s supreme leader said Sunday that US President Barack Obama was not trustworthy despite his message to Iran on the occasion of the new Persian year, state media reported.
“The US president’s message speaks of normalizing relations but in practice plotted against the Islamic Republic. The words contradict the actions,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech in the religious city of Mashad in north-eastern Iran.

On Saturday President Obama appealed directly via video message to the Iranian people and repeated his offer of a dialogue with Tehran.

“Sometimes the US speaks like a fox but acts as a wolf,” added the leader who has, according to the constitution, the final say on all state affairs.

Khamenei criticized US for its “arrogant attitude” towards Iran and blamed the Obama administration for plotting against Islamic regime while “talking about peace and friendship”.

Iran and the US have had no diplomatic ties for three decades and hopes that there would be a rapprochement with Obama as president have so far foundered.

In his new year message Saturday, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad adopted a similar stance as the leader.

“Enemies have tried to weaken our country but they have failed and in the coming year we will stand even more firmly against them than before,” Ahmadinejad said.

Ahmadinejad said however “next year we will continue our work faster and with more decisiveness, move towards more progress and present the people with great political and technical achievements.”

“We will remove obstacles and turn any moves (by the West) into new opportunities,” the president said.

“Nobody should worry because the future is ours,” Ahmadinejad continued.