TEHRAN – Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has dismissed the idea of Iran-U.S. negotiation on regional issues, saying the totally contrasting policies of the two countries and Washington’s attempts to impose its demands make such talks pointless.

In a meeting with the Foreign Ministry officials on Sunday, Ayatollah Khamenei underlined that Iran’s foreign policy is founded on the Constitution, the long-term interests of the country and the Islamic Republic’s values, and consequently they do not change in different administrations, the Tasnim news agency reported.Change of administrations would only affect the “tactics and executive initiatives” in carrying out the country’s foreign policy strategies, the Leader stressed.The Supreme Leader then dismissed as a Western illusion the notion that Iran’s foreign policy has undergone a forcible change.Pointing to the US policies in West Asia as the root cause of the tense situation in the region, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “Unlike the view of certain individuals, the U.S. is the main plank of the region’s problems, not part of a solution to the problems.”The Leader then called on the Foreign Ministry officials, ambassadors and diplomats to stick to the tenets of the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy “firmly, mightily and gloriously”, so that foreigners and their followers inside the country would not pin hopes on a shift in Iran’s foreign policy.Referring to Iran’s policies on Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Bahrain, Ayatollah Khamenei said they differ from those of the U.S. by “180 degrees”.The root cause of insecurity in the region is Washington’s support for the Zionist regime of Israel and the terrorist groups, the Leader underscored.The Supreme Leader then categorically dismissed the idea of negotiations with the U.S. on regional issues.“The Americans seek to impose their interests, not to settle problems. They want to impose 60, 70 percent of their demands via negotiations, and practically implement and impose the rest of their objectives illegally. Then what would negotiations mean?”Elsewhere, Ayatollah Khamenei lauded Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and other diplomats for handling nuclear talks with six world powers well, saying they could very well safeguard the country’s goals in the talks.The Leader noted that Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his team performed well and said, “I repeatedly pray for you dears.”Praising the resilience of the nuclear negotiating team, he said, “The feeling of power and sitting in front of six world powers, (and) defending the goals and prove your presence and yourself to the other side were among the strong points of the negotiators of our country in the nuclear negotiations.”On July 14 Iran and the 5+1 group (Russia, China, the U.S., Britain, France and Germany) agreed on a nuclear deal that would terminate all sanctions imposed on Tehran over its nuclear energy program.While many consider the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) a major breakthrough in the improvement of ties between Iran and the West, the Leader has already made it clear that Tehran’s policy toward the U.S. will remain unchanged regardless of the ultimate fate of the JCPOA.The Leader also pointed to the war in Syria which has entered its four year, saying holding elections is the solution to the Arab country’s conflict.Ayatollah Khamenei said that financial and military support for militants must first be terminated to end war in Syria so that the Syrian people would be able to elect who they wish in a secure and safe atmosphere, Press TV reported.“Our word in this regard is among the firmest words. We believe it is pointless that other countries gather together and decide about the system of a government and the head of that country. This is a bad precedent that no country in the world would accept it.”The Leader also said the partitioning of Iraq into Shia Arab, Sunni Arab and Kurdish regions is completely against its national interests and is an “impractical, meaningless and unacceptable” plan.