Tehran - Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has said that no deadline had been set for Iran by world powers regarding the ongoing dispute over the Islamic republic's nuclear programme, Tehran media reported Thursday.

"The terminology of deadline is not clear us as we have presented the world powers our standpoints and now await their view," Mottaki was quoted as saying by official news agency IRNA.

Washington had following talks in Geneva on July 19 between Iran and the five UN veto powers plus Germany (5+1) said that Tehran had two weeks to respond to the latest package aimed at resolving the nuclear dispute. That deadline is due to expire on Saturday.

Mottaki however insisted that no such arrangement was made during talks last month with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Tehran.

Under the proposal, Iran is to choose between suspending uranium enrichment and receiving economic incentives in return, or not suspending and facing further financial sanctions.

While the 5+1 group wants from Iran a clear yes or no reply on enrichment suspension, Tehran wants negotiations to be conducted on an ongoing basis, even with political arch-foe United States, but without preconditions or ultimatums.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who under Iran's constitution has the final say on all state affairs, however said Wednesday that world powers would not change their policies towards Iran even if Tehran made concessions on its nuclear programme.

Insisting that Iran would remain on its nuclear "path", the Ayatollah said concessions in the nuclear dispute would only lead to further demands by the 5+1 powers. (dpa)