Iran on Sunday voiced its strong opposition of the US military presence in the Middle East, saying regional problems should be solved by regional countries themselves.

"The establishment of US military bases in the region would not only hinder the promotion of regional security but also deteriorate the existing problems," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi told reporters.

Asefi said that the US military presence around the Persian Gulf had done nothing to prevent conflicts and wars in the region.

As to relation between Iran and the United States, Asefi said that the ball was on the US side now and reiterated Tehran's consistent position that Washington should change its approach toward Iran.

"It is a problem to be solved by Washington and not by Tehran, but Iran is willing to do something helpful," Asefi said.

Iran and the United States, which had been close allies in the 1970s, turned into enemies following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The United States has accused Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons and sponsoring terrorists, terming Iran as part of the so-called "axis of evil" and imposing harsh sanctions on the country.

Iran, in return, calls the United States enemy of the whole Islamic world.