US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Friday said that United States seeks "constructive engagement" in regard to Iran's controversial nuclear program, dpa reported.
She was addressing her counterparts and other officials from 30 countries at the Manama Dialogue, an annual unofficial event organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Bahrain to discuss regional security issues.
Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was in the audience as she spoke at the opening ceremony, but he showed little interest in her speech and avoided looking at the stage. He is expected to address the meeting on Saturday morning.
The gathering comes just days before Monday's P5+1 meetings with Iran in Geneva on its nuclear programme. Just hours before, Clinton had described the nuclear programs of North Korea and Iran as a threat to world peace and stability that could spark a renewed arms race.
"We hope that out of this meeting, entered into with good faith, we will see constructive engagement with respect to your nuclear program," Clinton said in the part of her speech addressed directly at Iran.
"Nearly two years ago President Obama extended to your government a sincere offer of dialogue, we are still committed to that offer".
Clinton, who emphasized respect for Iran's sovereignty and history, said that Iran's assurances of the peaceful nature of the programme were needed by the international community, in-line with Iran's commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty.
"We continue to make this offer of engagement with respect for your sovereignty and with regard for your interests, but also with iron-clad commitment to defending global security and the world's interests in a peaceful and prosperous Gulf region," she said.
Mottaki joined other leaders and government officials in a dinner reception.
Iran's meeting next week with the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - US, Britain, France, Russia, China - as well as Germany) is the first in more than a year.
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