AFP: Countries around the world can have normal relations with Iran if the Islamic Republic redefines itself and stops meddling in the affairs of its neighbours, US Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad said in an interview Monday.
LONDON (AFP) — Countries around the world can have normal relations with Iran if the Islamic Republic redefines itself and stops meddling in the affairs of its neighbours, US Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad said in an interview Monday.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Khalilzad added that he did not think there was a "silver bullet" to solving the Middle East's problems, in particular regarding the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
Khalilzad said it was "possible to come to terms with an Iran that defines its objectives in a regional way and acts as a nation state, not as a revolution."
"Iran is a significant challenge and will remain so for some time. How do you have an Iran that has an appropriate role and defines that role in a way that it can live with the world and the world can live with it?"
He said there was no "silver bullet" in the region, and said major players in the Middle East use the Israel-Palestinian conflict "as a stick with which to beat each other."
"I don't believe that for the Iranians this is the most important issue."
The United States and Iran have not had official diplomatic relations since 1980, after American diplomats were held hostage in Tehran for 444 days, and the two countries have more recently clashed over the Islamic Republic's controversial nuclear programme.
Tehran insists it is peaceful, but Western powers suspect Iran is aiming to build a nuclear weapon, and the UN Security Council imposed a third set of sanctions in March to punish it for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment.
