Iran claims senior official holds cyber debate with U.S. State Dept

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Aug. 28 – Iran's state media is claiming that a senior aide to hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has held a "cyber debate" with a U.S. State Department official.

Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Aug. 28 – Iran's state media is claiming that a senior aide to hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has held a "cyber debate" with a U.S. State Department official.

The text of the debate between Ali-Akbar Javanfekr and a "member of the 'Persian Digital Group' of the US State Department" was carried in part by the official daily "Iran" on Wednesday.

The State Department official, whose identity was kept anonymous in the report, allegedly said he was tasked with explaining U.S. policies on Iran.

“You should admit that the hatred of world nations towards the U.S. is at its highest level”, Javanfekr is said to have told the U.S. official. "Today, the world has changed, and your nuclear warheads are of no use".

The U.S. State Department has thus far not made any public comment on whether the debate took place. All U.S. contact with Iranian officials requires prior permission from the highest levels of the Bush administration.