Iran's Interior Minister Ali Kordan says the ministry will never issue permission for the American Iranian Council office to open in Tehran.

"It is the Interior Ministry which should make decisions on any request by countries. But no request has been submitted to the ministry to date," Kordan told reporters in Tehran on Tuesday.

He added, "In case of such a proposal, the Interior Ministry will not issue the permission because of the country's interests."

Washington had earlier announced that the American Iranian Council (AIC), a non-governmental organization, has been seeking permission to open an office in Tehran.

Hooshang Amirahmadi, AIC founder and president, described the mission of his NGO as 'promoting dialogue and understanding between the people and governments of Iran and the United States at a time of immense promise and peril for their relations.'

Kordan said, "Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran is so powerful not to issue such permission for the US itself let alone an American citizen who is famous in Iran for brokering."

SF/SME/DA