WASHINGTON, Sept 8: Former Iranian president Mohammed Khatami has urged the United States to resolve its differences with Iran through dialogue, not threats. In the first public address by a senior Iranian politician in the US capital since 1979, Mr Khatami advised world powers to adopt another approach rather than telling Iran to roll back its nuclear programme or face UN sanctions.

In a nearly hour-long speech, the black-turbaned leader made a scholarly plea for greater dialogue among cultures. He stayed away from direct commentary on current events but did admonish both Eastern and Western cultures to ‘rescue life from the claws of warmongers and violence-seekers and ostentatious leaders. He named no names.

“We should look into a future in which peace and spirituality, ethics and progress exist for all human beings,” the two-term Iranian president told Washington’s elite at the National Cathedral in his lecture on reconciliation between Islamic and Western civilisations.

A dialogue between the Islamic world and the West can only succeeded if the former is treated as ‘a partner in a dialogue between equals, he said.

About 200 protesters chanted ‘human rights for Iran and ‘don’t support terrorism from across the street before Mr Khatami began his lecture.

Mr Khatami was invited to Washington by the National Cathedral’s Centre for Global Justice and Reconciliation. The centre’s director, Canon John Peterson, said he hopes for greater dialogue among the followers of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Earlier in the day, Mr Khatami told reporters Iran may be willing to discuss suspending its nuclear programme if the West agrees to negotiations.

“We are in search of a solution. During the course of negotiations, we could even talk about suspensions, the nature of suspensions, the timing of suspensions and the duration of suspensions,” he said.