TEHRAN, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tehran and Washington are not holding talks in Oman over the existing issues, Iran's Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

"Iran and the United States have had no talks, not in Oman or anywhere else," Bahram Qasemi, the ministry's spokesman, said in his weekly press conference.

In the meantime, the Iranian spokesman stressed that Iran is interested in making peaceful ties with other countries.

Qasemi was reacting to some local reports that secret negotiations are underway in Oman between the Islamic republic and the United States over Washington's mounting sanction pressure on Tehran.

Over the past years, Oman has played an intermediary role between Iran and the United States to settle their rift.