Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Iran has not been helpful in the peace process in Middle East and across the world, reiterated Barack Obama at his first press conference since taking office.

He added that Iran’s attacks, financing terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas, its hostile tone against Israel, developing nuclear weapon and attempt for acquiring it has not only led to instability in the region, but also contradicts US interests and world peace.

“My expectation is, in the coming months, we will be looking for openings that can be created where we can start sitting across the table face-to-face with diplomatic overtures that will allow us to move our policy in the new direction,” he said.

“And it’s important that, even as we engage in this direct diplomacy, we are very clear about certain deep concerns that we have as a country, that Iran understands that we find the funding of terrorist organizations unacceptable, that we’re clear about the fact that a nuclear Iran could set off a nuclear arms race in the region that would be profoundly destabilizing,” said Obama.

“I think there’s the possibility, at least, of a relationship of mutual respect and progress…, but “it’s time now for Iran to send some signals that it wants to act differently.”