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Iranian leader hails U.S. report

But Washington cando more to resolve differences, he says.

By Assocaited Press
Published December 12, 2007

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's president took an unusually soft tone toward the United States on Tuesday, saying a new U.S. intelligence report marks an opportunity to resolve U.S.-Iranian differences. But he said Washington must take further steps, including dropping nuclear sanctions.

The conciliatory line appeared aimed at deflecting Washington's attempts to win further sanctions against Iran and bringing the U.S. into negotiations after the intelligence report found that Tehran ended a nuclear weapons program four years ago.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may also be trying to fend off critics at home who have accused him of provoking Iran's enemies with his fiery rhetoric. Ahead of Ahmadinejad's news conference, one of his top critics - Hasan Rowhani, a former nuclear negotiator and a powerful figure in Iran's leadership - made his harshest criticism yet of the president, saying his government had failed on foreign policy.

The United States brushed off Ahmadinejad's comments, saying Iran must abide by U.N. demands that it suspend uranium enrichment.

"We totally agree with the Iranian president. One or two more steps are needed. Let's start with Iran suspending its uranium enrichment process," said Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the National Security Council. He also said Iran should halt its support for militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

The U.S. intelligence assessment, released last week, found that Iran ended a program to develop a nuclear weapon in 2003.

[Last modified December 12, 2007, 01:30:26]