President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the Iranian nation would shake the hand extended by the new US administration if its overture were honest.

Ahmadinejad's comments came just a few weeks after the US President, Barack Obama, sent a message to the Iranian nation and government in which he announced US' willingness to open dialogue with Iran.

The Iranian President, however, underlined the need for "a real change" on the part of Washington.

"The Iranian nation will shake an honest hand which is extended towards it but if the hand only appears to be honest and is in fact deceptive in nature it will receive a response just like the one the Iranian nation gave to [former US President George W.] Bush," Ahmadinejad said in the central city of Isfahan on Wednesday.

He stressed that Iran expected a policy change in practice, not mere talks from the White House.

Obama in his New Year message to Iran had urged Tehran to take the necessary steps to begin a new era of "constructive ties" between Iran and the US.

"We have serious differences that have grown over time. My Administration is now committed to diplomacy that addresses the full range of issues before us, and to pursuing constructive ties among the United States, Iran, and the international community," Obama had said in his message.

In response, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said any improvement in the two sides' talks requires real steps by the White House to rectify three decades of hostile policy adopted by Washington toward Iran.

MGH/SME/RE