TEHRAN -- The Iranian Embassy in Italy is denying an Italian newspaper's claim to have conducted a rare interview with Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei.
The embassy issued a statement late Monday stating categorically that the reputed conversation with Khamenei, who has the title supreme leader of the Islamic Revolution, did not take place.
Khamenei has not given an interview in 10 years, the embassy said.
Iran's FARS news agency described the newspaper L'Unita as "left-wing" and implied that it had in the past been critical of the Iranian government.
"The distribution of similar articles -- all lies and without basis -- is proof of the deceit perpetrated by the paper to influence public opinion and an attempt to discredit the image of the supreme leader, the government and the people of Iran."
