By VOA News
U.S. President Barack Obama says the
United States must be willing to engage in diplomacy with Iran. Speaking late
Monday with a Dubai-based television network Al-Arabiya, Mr. Obama repeated his
inaugural address pledge to extend a hand to countries such as Iran if they are
"willing to unclench their fist."
President Obama promised to lay out a general framework and approach over the
next several months on how the U.S. will proceed with Iran.
Mr. Obama said it is important for the U.S. to express very clearly its
differences with Iran and where there are potential avenues for progress.
Asked about the president's comments Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton said it is up to Iran to demonstrate some willingness to engage
meaningfully with the international community.
Can US live with nuclear Iran?
In the interview with al-Arabiya, Mr.
Obama was asked if the U.S. would ever live with a nuclear Iran. He did not
answer directly, but said that Iran has pursued nuclear weapons, and that is not
conducive to peace and prosperity.
He said other unhelpful actions include Iran's threats against Israel and its
past support of terrorist groups.
Mr. Obama also noted that "the Iranian people are a great people and Persian
civilization is a great civilization."
During the presidential campaign, Mr. Obama pledged that his administration
would use all tools of U.S. power - including diplomacy - to engage the Islamic
nation.
Iran has been under three sets of international sanctions for failing to suspend
its uranium enrichment program.
Western nations suspect Iran is pursuing nuclear technology in order to produce
nuclear weapons, but Iran insists the program is for peaceful purposes.
Some information for this report was
provided by AP and Reuters.
... Payvand News - 01/28/09 ... --
