Speaking to domestic and foreign reporters, Kharrazi expressed satisfaction over the opportunity provided for the Islamic Republic of Iran and the OIC and hoped that by becoming further acquainted with such a regional crisis, the delegation could work towards ending the conflict.

He underlined the grave concern of the Islamic world over the crisis in Chechnya and said the OIC and its chairman feel a strong responsibility in employing every possible means to stop war and bloodshed.

Kharrazi also expressed the hope that the delegation's visit will prove helpful in bringing the conflict to an end.

A reporter asked Kharrazi to what extent he is confident of stopping the conflict in Chechnya, he said Iran does not want to mediate in the conflict, but, to collect information about the realities there.

Any solution to the Chechen crisis depends on the field information, Kharrazi said.

He said he would lead a delegation to Moscow and the region and delegates at ministerial level from morocco, Qatar, burkina faso and the secretariat of the organization of the Islamic conference (OIC) will accompany him.

Asked about the process of improving relations with the Persian gulf states, Kharrazi said no one can deny that the region which is the highway for transfer of energy is very sensitive and is thirsty for peace and security, so it is normal that Iran's call for peace and security and economic cooperation did not go unanswered.

The Persian gulf states welcomed the Iranian call especially after the two destructive wars in the Persian gulf, he said.

He said the policy of detente of the Islamic Republic of Iran is now working with the Persian gulf states and there is a growing trend in boosting relations and cooperation in the region.

"Through understanding and mutual confidence among the Persian gulf states, we will be able to have a region full of cooperation and stability," Kharrazi said.

Reporter of the united press asked about the latest statement of the Persian gulf cooperation council (pgcc) and whether Iran would welcome the proposal of forming a three-nation committee comprising Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman by the pgcc to encourage Iran and the United Arab Emirates to hold direct talks on the Persian gulf island dispute, he said the three-nation committee is the initiative of the pgcc , Iran welcomes it to encourage the UAE to enter into direct talks with Iran.

A reporter asked about the main obstacle in the way of Iran's relations with the U.S., Kharrazi said although the U.S. officials have made statements in the past two years which indicated change of tone, but, it is not enough unless a fundamental change appears in the U.S. Administration's stance toward the Islamic Republic of Iran.

He said, "our criterion is their (the U.S.) practice, if they changed their policy toward Iran in practice, certainly we would see another situation now."

Kharrazi said there is absence of a national resolve in the U.S. administration in its conduct with the Islamic Republic of Iran and that's why the wall of mistrust still remained between the two countries.

Reporter from the associated press (AP) asked what practical step the U.S. Administration should take to establish relations with Iran, Kharrazi said first of all the U.S. Should make decision on setting up a sincere relations with Iran and then it should change all its hostile policies adopted against Iran including lifting the economic sanctions, stop discouraging regional states from boosting cooperation with Iran, non-interference in Iran's internal affairs and stop providing the terrorists with equipment.

He said if the U.S. Took the steps mentioned above it would indicate that it was serious and sincere in establishing relations with Iran.

Kharrazi strongly rejected the calim raised by a Japanese television reporter (nhk) of supply of missiles to an African state by Iran.

The Japanese t.v. Reporter asked another question as to why Iran rejected Washington's offer to send consular official to Iran, Kharrazi said resuming consular relations depend on the level of diplomatic relations and that's why everything depends on the current situation concerning the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Reporter of agence France presse (AFP) said after the U.S. Offer to send consular official to Iran it seemed that Washington has changed its policy toward Iran, but, the U.S. Recently once again renewed its allegations against Iran. What is your evaluation? Kharrazi said the U.S. Always sends contradictory signals concerning with its relations with Iran indicating that there is no national resolve in the U.S. To improve its behavior toward Iran.

"When countries decide to improve their relations with one another, they take care of their behavior and words and move in line with their national resolve to improve relations," Kharrazi pointed out.

Asked about Tehran-Moscow relations, he said Iran and Russia have common interests and affinity in the region. Of course there are threats against the two countries, but, the two countries should think what to do to neutralize the threats and develop bilateral cooperation.

He said transfer of energy through the Iranian soil to the Persian gulf is very economical and very safe and this would be made possible through close cooperation between Iran and Russia.

On Iran-Britain relations, Kharrazi said Iran and Britain have decided to form relations very different from the past and Britain itself has changed a lot thanks to the international developments.

"We have been given assurances that Britain is far from what it had been in the past. We believe that Iran-Britain relations should be based on mutual respect, equality and partnership," Kharrazi said.

Reuter said that certain French officials had voiced discontent with the visit to Paris by the Iranian president hojatoleslam Mohammad Khatami, and asked for Kharrazi's comment on what the Iranian president intended to accomplish in his visits to euro-capitals.

The Iranian foreign minister said that what he and the rest of the Iranian authorities had heard on the impression of the French officials of the visit was quite different. He said the French officials had voiced pleasure with the visit.

Chinese news agency reporter asked Kharrazi for his comment on macao's annexation to mainland China, and Kharrazi said that the Iranian government would naturally welcome every development that might indicate an end to differences between peoples in all parts of the world. He said the Islamic Republic looks at the development as an internal affair of China and welcomes that development.

Kharrazi said relations between Tehran and peking had been gaining momentum recently, and added that the chinese government had invited president Khatami to visit peking early next year.

Asked to comment on the likelihood of upgrading of relations between Tehran and Cairo to the ambassadorial level, Kharrazi said that politically, the Islamic Republic and Egypt are very close to each other and that they identified their interests and common threats against themselves very well.

He said Iran and Egypt were coming steadily closer together in their dealing with regional affairs and in their response to common threats against the two of them. He hoped that Tehran and Cairo would get closer together in the future.

Asked to comment on Abdullah Nouri's conviction and whether the development might entail implications for Iran at the global level, Kharrazi said that naturalaly every development of significance in Iran would have its own international reactions to it. He said international reactions to what happens in Iran may not necessarily explain the very same reasons that were responsible for that development.

Kharrazi said the mere fact that Nouri's trial was in open camera was the sign of reformation and developments in Iran. He expressed his personal sorrow for Nouri's ending in jail which, he said, had prevented the administration benefit of his services.

The Iranian foreign minister, meanwhile, commented that foreign reaction to such developments in Iran had to be evaulated with some degree of caution because of the true motive of the people behind those reactions. He said every development in Iran should be evaluated with reference to Iranian values and Iranian criteria rather than in light of externally suggested yardsticks that might be irrelevant to factual realities in Iran.

Asked to comment on the case of Iranian national Hamid khorssand and his trial in Germany and whether the development might in any manner affect present statuts of relations between Iran and Germany, Kharrazi said that the Islamic Republic would never want to confuse judiciary affairs with political affairs. He said if the Iranian national, Hamid khorssand, had committed any offense in Germany he had to be brought to trial by a German court to which, he said, Iran would not object.

Likewise, Kharrazi added, once a German national is indicted in Iran on any charges, he should be brought to trial in Iran. He said, however, that the germans tended to politicize unpolitical developments, and added that Tehran did not wish to see the adverse impact of non-political developments on political relations between Iran and other countries.

Asked to comment on Iran's rejection of the U.S. Initmation to have a consular office in Tehran for the benefit of Iranians applying for U.S. Visa, he said, the authorities who decide for the Islamic Republic consider the best interests of the country. He said Tehran and Washington are not now in a position towards each other to intimate such expectations from each other.

Kharrazi said Washington had maintained its sanctions against Iran but, he observed, once sanctions were lifted perhaps Iranians and americans would be able to benefit from the consular services of each other's country in their own homeland.