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Iranian President Denies US Plot Claims

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gestures to the media as he attends for an official meeting with Qatar's Foreign Minister Adviser Khalid Mohammad al-Atiyeh, in Tehran, October 13, 2011.

Iran's president has denied U.S. allegations that Iran was involved in a plot to kill the Saudi ambassador in the U.S.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday Iranians are civilized and do not need to resort to assassination.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Saturday U.S. claims that Tehran supported an alleged assassination plot are absurd. The supreme leader accused the U.S. of making "unfounded" accusations against "a few Iranians in America" as part of an effort to isolate Iran.

Last Tuesday, the U.S. Justice Department announced it had broken up an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. Adel al-Jubeir. Officials said the U.S. had filed charges against two Iranians for involvement in the plot. Officials said one suspect was part of Iran's elite Quds Force.

On Friday, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Washington had a direct meeting with Iranian officials over the alleged plot. She told reporters the meeting was to make it "absolutely clear" that the U.S. considers that type of behavior "unacceptable" and a violation of U.S. and international law.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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