Tehran - The formation of the new US cabinet was in no way compatible with president-elect Barack Obama's slogan of change, state-run Iranian television network IRIB said in a commentary on Tuesday.

The network said that appointing Hillary Clinton as secretary of state and keeping Robert Gates as defence secretary had nothing to do with change but was continuing the same policies as the current US administration.

Calling the two warmongers, IRIB said that Clinton voted in favour of the military strike against Iraq and no changes could be expected in Iraq under Gates as defence secretary.

"In practice, Obama is gradually distancing himself from his idealistic slogan of change and de facto continuing the status quo of the US foreign and defence policies," said IRIB, which reflects the standpoint of the Iranian administration.

Clinton is regarded by Tehran as very close to the Jewish lobby in the US and therefore not only hostile towards Iran but also in favour of Israel in the conflict with Palestine.

Despite the harsh IRIB commentary, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his government are hoping to start a new political chapter with Obama after almost three decades of diplomatic estrangement.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said Monday that the legislative body was positively evaluating the possibility of direct talks with US Congress members, but added that the agenda of the talks should first be clarified before taking the final decision.

Iran and the US severed ties in 1979 and have since then followed a hostile course, with Washington putting Iran into the "axis of evil", and accusing the Islamic state of planning to make atomic bombs and supporting terrorism.

Tehran has labelled the US the "Great Satan" and regards it as the enemy of Islam and Muslims worldwide.

All efforts by the last three Iranian presidents - Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, Mohammad Khatami and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - to improve bilateral ties have failed, but there are high hopes in Iran that a new era could start after Obama's presidency next year. (dpa)