Tehran, Mar 21 (IANS): Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied that there has been either a direct or indirect exchange of messages between Tehran and Washington over mutual disputes, a top official said here.

"Until now, Iran hasn't received any message, either direct or indirect, from the US administration," Xinhua news agency quoted Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh as saying.

The problem is that Washington is not willing to change the course, said Khatibzadeh, adding that the US has not taken steps to return to the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Sanctions imposed by the former US government are still in place, and Iranian diplomats in New York City remain restricted in their movements, he noted.

Khatibzadeh dismissed the continuation of pressure on Iran, saying that the US policy of maximum pressure, adopted by former President Donald Trump's administration, has failed and the recession in Iran is over.

The US needs to stick to its own obligations, return to the JCPOA and lift sanctions that have been costly to the Islamic Republic, he said.

In response to the .S withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018 and the re-imposition of sanctions, Iran has suspended implementing parts of its obligations under the deal.

The incumbent US administration under President Joe Biden has said that if Iran returns to full compliance with the nuclear deal, Washington would do the same.

But Iran insisted its compliance would only take place once US sanctions were removed.