"Establishing taboo zones means always having also self-restraint," Genscher who was Germany's foreign minister from 1974 to 1992 was quoted by Der Tagesspiegel newspaper as saying on Friday.
The former German official has visited Iran several times in recent years and supports resumption of Tehran-Washington ties.
The United States and Iran broke diplomatic relations in April 1980, after Iranian students seized the United States' espionage center at its embassy in Tehran. The two countries have had tense relations ever since.
Iran has said it is ready for talks with the US on equal footings and based on mutual respect.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in a speech to mark the 30th anniversary of the victory of Islamic Revolution in February, said that Iran is ready to attend talks with the United States on equal footings and based on mutual respect.
"It is quite clear that real change must be fundamental and not tactical. It is clear the Iranian nation welcomes real changes. The Iranian nation is ready to hold talks but talks in a fair atmosphere with mutual respect," Ahmadinejad said.
Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, have on different occasions reiterated that Tehran has not yet witnessed any actual and practical change in the US policies, reminding that the Islamic Republic would not consider rapprochement with Washington unless the US embarks on making practical changes in its foreign policies, specially on Iran.
|
