Obama Vows New Ties With Iran

Barack Obama says he would take a much different approach to Iran than the Bush administration, pushing high-level talks and economic incentives in exchange for cooperation on Iraq and nuclear issues. In an interview with the Times, the candidate said Iran's obstinance on those issues is caused in part by Washington's aggressive policies and rhetoric.

A new relationship with Iran would be the linchpin of his strategy to make Iraq stable, Obama says, and "changes in behavior" by Tehran could be rewarded with a place in the WTO. He has made similar statements about holding talks with North Korea and Syria, opening himself up to criticism from Hillary Clinton that such proposals smack of naivete and result from his lack of foreign policy experience.