Obama offers Iran 'new beginning'

The US cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 1979 when 52 US diplomats were held hostage for 444 days [AFP] The US president has issued a videotaped appeal to Iran offering a "new beginning" in US-Iranian relations. In the message timed for an Iranian holiday celebration on Friday, Barack Obama said: "My administration is now committed to diplomacy that addresses the full range of issues before us, and to pursuing constructive ties." The White House distributed the videotape and posted it on its website to coincide with Iranian observance of the Nowruz festival, celebrating the arrival of spring. Reacting positively to the offer, the press adviser to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, urged Obama to back his words with  concrete action to repair what he called past mistakes. "We welcome the wish of the president of the United States to  put away past differences," Ali Akbar Javanfekr told the AFP news agency on Friday. "But the way to do that is not by Iran forgetting the previous hostile and aggressive attitude of the United States. "The American administration has to recognise its past mistakes and repair them as a way to put away the differences." US concerns The US is at odds with Iran over its nuclear programme, which Washington says is aimed at building atomic weapons, while Tehran insists it is for the peaceful generation of electricity. The US is also concerned over Iran's missile-development efforts. With Thursday's appeal, Obama went further than he has since taking office on January 20 in extending an olive branch to Tehran. His administration has earlier expressed an openness to face-to-face diplomatic contacts with Tehran. It marks a major shift from the policy pursued by the administration of Obama's predecessor George Bush towards Iran. Bush once branded Iran part of an "axis of evil". Engagement plea Reaching out directly to Iranian leaders and their people, Obama said: "This process will not be advanced by threats. We seek instead engagement that is honest and grounded in mutual respect." Obama said the US wanted Iran to take its "rightful place in the community of nations", but also insisted that Tehran do its part to achieve reconciliation. Obama's said US wants Iran to take its rightful place in the community of nations [Reuters] "You have that right - but it comes with real responsibilities, and that place cannot be reached through terror or arms, but rather through peaceful actions that demonstrate the true greatness of the Iranian people and civilisation," he said. "The measure of that greatness is not the capacity to destroy, it is your demonstrated ability to build and create." Obama said "he is seeking "a future with renewed exchanges among our people and greater opportunities for partnership and commerce". However, he acknowledged that "this won't be reached easily". The US cut off diplomatic ties with Iran during the 1979-1981 hostage crisis, in which a group of Iranian students held 52 US diplomats hostage at the American embassy for 444 days.

Source: Agencies