Tehran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday said that Iran would react favourably to positive signals by political arch-foe United States.

"Our stance remains the same: we would react favourably to any positive signals (by the US) indicating the will for communication on the basis of respect and justice," Ahmadinejad told state-television in an interview.

"We can have a new era (with the US) or continue the status quo ... we have to wait and see the developments following the (US presidential) elections," he added.

Ahmadinejad has on several occasions signaled his wish to at least resume talks with Washington after almost three decades of political hostility and severance of diplomatic relations.

Although trying to remain diplomatic regarding the US elections, it is regarded as an open secret in Iran that Tehran favours Democratic candidate Barack Obama whose stance towards Iran is seen as being less harsh than that of Republican candidate John McCain.

Political analysts in Tehran believe that current disputes such as Iran's controversial nuclear programme or alleged Iranian interference in Iraq and Afghanistan could only be resolved through direct talks between Tehran and the next US administration.

Also Ahmadinejad and his government - despite the harsh rhetoric against the US which is often referred to as the "Great Satan" - prefer to involve the US along with the European Union in the talks aimed at settling the disputes. (dpa)