Iran Denies 'Unprofessional' WSJ Report That Ayatollah Sent Letter to Obama

Iran has denied that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei replied to a letter sent by US President Barack Obama suggesting that the two countries cooperate on reaching a nuclear deal and fighting the Islamic State, which was initially reported by the Wall Street Journal.

"The claim made by Wall Street Journal is an unprofessional media game," the Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham said on Sunday, according to IRNA news agency. She said that Obama has sent letters to Iran in the past and that "in some cases Iran responded to his letters," but that "there is no new letter."

On February 14, the Wall Street Journal published a very detailed article about a purported reply from Ayatollah Khamenei. In the article, the publication cited an unnamed Iranian diplomat, who explained the details of the purported letter, which claimed that Iran was "respectful" but "noncommittal" to the possibility of Iran joining the US in combating ISIL. The White House has not commented on the legitimacy of the purported letter.

Previously, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif denied media reports that failure in talks on Tehran's nuclear program would put President Hassan Rouhani's administration at risk. Earlier on Monday, Iran's media watchdog announced that it banned the ultra-conservative Noh-e Day weekly publication for criticizing the country' stance in the nuclear negotiations.

The United States has been part of the ongoing talks between Iran and the P5+1 group on the controversial Iranian nuclear program, which the West suspects to be a cover-up for the development of nuclear weapons.