president Obama Today calle for a New Relationship with Iran on Embassy in Tehran

president Obama Today calle for a New Relationship with Iran on Embassy in Tehran

President Obama today called for a new relationship with Iran in a statement that marked the 30th anniversary of the takeover by Iranian militants of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.The seizure of the embassy by radical students marked the beginning of Iran's turn to hard-line policies. Fifty-two Americans were held hostage for 444 days.

"This event helped set the United States and Iran on a path of sustained suspicion, mistrust and confrontation," Obama said in his statement. "I have made it clear that the United States of America wants to move beyond this past, and seeks a relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran based upon mutual interests and mutual respect."

The United States and its allies are pressing Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions and to end the processing of uranium that could be used to make a weapon. Iran insists its nuclear program is for the peaceful generation of electricity.The United States has called for stepped-up sanctions if Iran continues its policy, which is being negotiated.

In Iran, violence marked the anniversary as protesters and security forces clashed. Obama praised those in Iran who are working for rights.Earlier, Obama in his statement praised protesters who took to the streets after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election in June.
"I'm an optimist by nature, I've been an optimist my whole life," he said. "I'm optimistic in the sense it hasn’t ended, but I'm not optimistic it's going to go anywhere fast. We'll see what Iran wants to do with the offer we made."

If given the chance to address Ahmadinejad directly, Laingen said he'd suggest the nation follow the paths of countries like Brazil, South Africa or Liberia, which backed off nuclear ambitions.

"I would say 'Let's get off the dime, let's start talking,'" Laingen said. "Let's come to an appreciation and get on with the need to find a way to focus on our common interests."

Noting Wednesday's anniversary, President Obama insisted he wants the U.S. and Iran to move beyond the "path of sustained suspicion, mistrust and confrontation" that has followed the hostage crisis.

The crisis "deeply affected the lives of courageous Americans who were unjustly held hostage, and we owe these Americans and their families our gratitude for their extraordinary service and sacrifice," Obama said in a statement issued late Tuesday.

"This event helped set the United States and Iran on a path of sustained suspicion, mistrust, and confrontation," the statement continued. "I have made it clear that the United States of America wants to move beyond this past, and seeks a relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran based upon mutual interests and mutual respect. ... We have made clear that if Iran lives up to the obligations that every nation has, it will have a path to a more prosperous and productive relationship with the international community.

"Iran must choose," Obama said. "We have heard for 30 years what the Iranian government is against; the question, now, is what kind of future it is for. ... It is time for the Iranian government to decide whether it wants to focus on the past, or whether it will make the choices that will open the door to greater opportunity, prosperity and justice for its people."