President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has warned that passing tougher UN sanctions against Iran would shut off all chances for diplomatic engagement between Iran and the United States.

“Any connections and contacts with Iran, the pathway to Iran, will be shut permanently,” Ahmadinejad said in an interview with the Boston Globe on Tuesday.

“Those who are trying to radicalize the atmosphere here fail to understand that they are speedily moving towards the cliff,” he added.

Ahmadinejad urged US President Barack Obama to avoid siding with more hawkish voices in the US against Iran.

“He should be very careful not to get entrapped in the web laid by radicals around him,” he said.

“If he can’t resolve the impasse with Iran, do you think he can resolve the problems with Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestine?” Ahmadinejad asked, adding that sanctions “will mean the end of his opportunity to improve world affairs.”