Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday ruled out any co-operation with the United States in the troubled Middle East, saying talks with Washington are confined to nuclear issues. In a closely watched speech marking the Persian new year festival of Nowruz, Khamenei took steps to quell speculation that any nuclear deal with the West could lead to a wider rapprochement.
"No way," he told a raucous crowd in the north-eastern holy city of Mashhad, on the chances of an agreement on Iran's atomic programme having other policy implications.
"Negotiations with the United States are on the nuclear issue and nothing else," he said.
"US objectives on regional matters are the opposite to our objectives," Khamenei said, accusing Washington of creating instability in Syria, Libya and Egypt. His remarks were greeted by chants of "Death to America" from the tightly packed thousands who gathered to hear him speak.
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