Advisor: Obama letter to Khamenei contains nothing new

Jan 16, 2012, 15:42 GMT

Tehran - A senior advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday downplayed a letter from US President Barack Obama, saying that it held no new information and did not necessarily warrant a reply.

'The letter contained nothing new,' ISNA news agency quoted international advisor Ali-Akbar Velayati as saying.

On Sunday, Iran confirmed having received a US message regarding the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, in which Obama had warned that blocking the strategic strait was a 'red line' and would provoke a response.

Velayati said it was up to government officials whether to reply to the letter or not, indicating that Khamenei himself would not reply to Obama.

The Iranian foreign ministry said it was studying the letter and would respond to it 'if necessary.'

Iranian generals have warned that they could close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international oil route in the Persian Gulf - thus blocking a considerable share of global oil exports - if oil sanctions were imposed.

Velayati also played down Western oil sanction threats, saying the demand for Iranian oil would still be more than the country could produce.

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