DipNote, the official blog of the State Department, live-tweeted Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s speech today at the Council on Foreign Relations. The address was designed to outline Clinton’s foreign policy agenda.
The tweets only mentioned one country specifically, Iran. Between speculation regarding their efforts to build nuclear weapons and the recent election protests, Iran has presented a great challenge to the Obama administration.
Secretary Clinton: We remain ready to engage with Iran, but the time for action is now.
Secretary Clinton: Iran can assume a responsible position in the international community if it fulfills its obligations on human rights.
Clinton left the door open for Iran, but the country is still in turmoil. Uncertainty about the country’s political leadership continues the wake of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s controversial reelection over opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi.
The top diplomat also indicated the U.S. would engage in direct talks with Iran’s leaders, although they did not specify at what level:
Secretary Clinton: Neither the president nor I have any illusions that direct dialogue with Iran will guarantee success.
Secretary Clinton: We also understand the importance of trying to engage Iran and offering its leaders a clear choice.
Clinton stressed the values of a diplomatic approach in addressing threats from abroad but she did not rule out using force if necessary:
Secretary Clinton: Smart power counsels that we lead with diplomacy, even in the case of adversaries or nations with whom we disagree.
Secretary Clinton: Our focus on diplomacy and development is not an alternative to our national security arsenal.
The 2008 presidential candidate addressed a myriad of foreign policy topics such as democracy promotion, international development, Middle East peace, and the Muslim world.
Today’s speech was seen as a major opportunity for Clinton to regain the spotlight on foreign affairs. She fractured her elbow last month, which caused her to miss two recent overseas trips. President Barack Obama’s trip to Russia, Italy, and Ghana also garnered major headlines.