国际英语新闻:Iran's supreme leader voices support for Rouhani's diplomatic efforts

TEHRAN, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei endorsed on Saturday the diplomatic efforts of President Hassan Rouhani at the U.N. General Assembly but criticized some aspects of his U.N. visit.

"We support the diplomatic initiative of the (Iranian) government, including its (diplomacy) in New York visit, since we have trust in the government and are optimistic" about its policies, Khamenei was quoted as saying by ISNA news agency.

"However, some aspects of the New York visit was inappropriate, " Khamenei told a military gathering, adding that "we consider the U.S. government as unreliable, arrogant, illogical and the one who breaks its promises."

Khamenei did not elaborate on the "inappropriate" aspect of the president's visit in New York, but emphasized that "we are pessimistic towards the (restoration of relations) with the Americans" who have intimate relations with Israel.

On the sidelines of the recent U.N. General Assembly, the Iranian diplomatic delegation held meetings with some western officials and explained to them Iran's foreign policy to " constructively interact" with the world.

Rouhani also held a 15-minute telephone conversation with his U. S. counterpart Barack Obama, the first talk of the two countries' heads of state since the outbreak of Tehran hostage crisis more than three decades ago.

However, Rouhani's moderate foreign policies draw critics from hardliners in Iran, which underlines difficulties for the Islamic republic and the United States to ease decades of hostility.

Meanwhile, while addressing the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the international community to tighten the sanctions on Tehran over its controversial nuclear program.