In its first reaction to Obama’s speech, the secretary-general of Iran’s National Security Council said US Middle East policy, particularly its support for Israel, had proven a failure.

“The Islamic awakening has pushed America to desperation and dead end,” Saeed Jalili told state television.

“America is the principal loser of the developments in the region and is sinking in the quagmire of (its) support for the Zionist regime as well as for tyrannical governments such as those of (Tunisia’s Zine El-Abidine) Ben Ali and (Egypt’s Hosni) Mubarak and Obama cannot disentangle himself by engaging in contradiction and deception.” In his speech, Obama did not renew an offer of engagement he made early in his presidency to Iran.

“Our opposition to Iran’s intolerance — as well as its illicit nuclear program, and its sponsorship of terror — is well known,” he said.

The speech comes as Iran faces tighter economic sanctions from the European Union over its nuclear work, which Tehran says is entirely peaceful and legal. The EU has dismissed a letter from Jalili, who represents Tehran at talks about its nuclear program, about the possibility of restarting negotiations that stalled in January.