President Barack Obama has taken an important step towards engagement with Iran, using a video message to hold out the promise of a “new day” in relations between Washington and Tehran after three decades of hostility and mistrust.
In a video address that stressed that American respect for the Iranian nation and included an Iranian new year’s greeting in Farsi as well as praise for the medieval poet Saadi, Mr Obama made a point of speaking to the “leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran” as well as “the people”.
The Iranian leadership will see in his words an acceptance of the regime, marking a significant shift from the attitude of the previous George W. Bush administration, which was suspected of seeking regime change in Tehran.
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