Iran's parliament speaker Ali Larijani said in Tehran on Sunday that U.S. president-elect Barack Obama needs to make "strategic changes," the official IRNA news agency reported.

"If they (U.S. next government officials) want to get rid of the existing public hatred of America both in the region and on the international scene, they have to make a series of strategic changes," Larijani was quoted as saying.

Reiterating his earlier remarks on Saturday, he said that Obama had to have a more careful look into the regional situation and reconsider the U.S. wrong policies in the region.

Larijani also said on Saturday that Obama's words on Iran's nuclear issue is "unacceptable."

"This is the same erroneous policy of them (Westerners) in the past," Larijani had said, adding that "Obama must send true signals of change to the people of the region."

Addressing his first press conference since Nov. 4 election, Obama also said in Chicago on Friday that Iran's development of nuclear weapon is "unacceptable."

The United States and its allies have accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran denies the charges and insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

Iran's president Mahmood Ahmadinejad sent a congratulatory letter to Obama following his historic victory over Republican John McCain on Tuesday.

Obama confirmed that he had received the letter from Iran's President and said that "I am aware that the letter. I will be reviewing the letter from President Ahmadinejad and we will respond appropriately."

(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2008)