Tehran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday that US president-elect Barack Obama should change the American approach towards nations in general and Iran in particular.

"The (Obama slogan of) change should not just be superficial. What is important is change in approach towards nations," Ahmadinejad said in a speech in Sari, northern Iran, carried by the Khabar news network.

Ahmadinejad was the first Iranian president since the 1979 Islamic revolution to send a congratulation message to his American counterpart on his success in the presidential race.

Ahmadinejad has said he and the whole Iranian government were hopeful that relations with the US would improve under Obama after almost three decades of diplomatic estrangement.

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said Monday that Tehran would reply favourably to any change of policy by Washington towards Iran if Obama put into practice his "Yes We Can" slogan.

The administration of President George W Bush has classified Iran as a member of the so-called "axis of evil" and accused the Islamic state of sponsoring terrorism and leading a secret programme to make atomic bombs.

While denying the charges, Tehran has called the US the "Great Satan" and enemy of Islam and Muslims worldwide. (dpa)