USA

The United States has beefed up its covert effort to undermine Iran's leadership since Congress approved late last year President George W. Bush's funding request of 400 million U.S. dollars against the Islamic republic, the New Yorker magazine reported Sunday.

Following the special investment by the Bush administration, the United States has increased its support for Iran's minority and dissidents and intelligence gathering about Iran's nuclear facilities, the U.S. magazine quoted former military, intelligence, and congressional sources as reporting.

Iran's official news agency (IRNA) says Tehran would consider any U.S. request to set up a diplomatic presence in the Islamic Republic.

A Foreign Ministry official quoted by IRNA Tuesday said "in principle, Iranian officials will consider requests they receive through formal channels."

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates called for more visits to Iran by American citizens on Wednesday, saying the private contact might help bridge differences between the two countries.

Talking about U.S.-Iran relations at the American Academy of Diplomacy, Gates said that "We need to figure out a way to develop some leverage with the Iranians and then sit down and talk with them."

"There are actually a fair number of Iranians that come to the United States to visit," he said.

The White House says security guarantees are not being considered in talks with Iran regarding its disputed nuclear program.

Speaking from Israel where he is traveling with U.S. President George Bush, White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said that the best way for Iran to guarantee its security is to stop threatening to wipe Israel off the map and to stop trying to destabilize Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon.