TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's foreign minister says direct talks with the United States are "possible" but that any such breakthrough initiative must be approved by the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Monday's comments by Ali Akbar Salehi mark the first clear signal that Iran could consider one-on-one dialogue with Washington. But Salehi's remarks on the official IRNA news agency did not specify if these talks would be restricted to Tehran's nuclear program or wider issues.

The supreme leader has given no indication he would support face-to-face talks with Washington, which broke ties with Iran shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Iran and the United States have been part of six-nation nuclear talks, which are currently stalled. The two nations also have held meetings over Afghanistan and Iraq.