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WASHINGTON: Most Iranians favour restored ties with Washington after three decades of hostility but distrust President Barack Obama despite his outreach to Muslims worldwide, a poll has found.

Eight in 10 Iranians also say they consider President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to be the country's legitimate president despite mass protests following the disputed June 12 vote, according to the survey by WorldPublicOpinion.org (WPO).

63% of the 1,003 people surveyed across Iran favoured restoring diplomatic relations with the US, a position at odds with the stance taken by Tehran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.