TEHRAN, Feb 24: Iran said on Thursday that it opposed US participation in nuclear talks alongside the European Union, just two days after a government-linked think-tank floated the idea.

"The Islamic republic sees no reason for US participation in the discussions between Iran and Europe," foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told the official IRNA news agency.

"If the Americans joined the talks, the best that could happen is that they would bring nothing to the negotiations and in the worst case scenario they would sabotage everything.

"We hope that the Europeans will continue to act independently," he said, charging that it was Washington's aim to convince them that they could not hope to deal alone with Iran on an issue as sensitive as nuclear technology.

Britain, France and Germany are leading diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to permanently abandon its nuclear enrichment programme in return for a package of political and economic benefits. -AFP