Days before he arrives in New York to address the United Nations General Assembly, President Rouhani has used The Washington Post to take his “constructive engagement” to the American people.

Rouhani’s column is long on rhetoric — “A zero-sum, Cold War mentality leads to everyone’s loss….The unilateral approach, which glorifies brute force and breeds violence, is clearly incapable of solving issues we all face, such as terrorism and extremism.”

However, there are interesting shifts in content as well as tone. In contrast to the Iranian politicians and media blaming the US for 9-11, the President writes, “Nobody is immune to extremist-fueled violence, even though it might rage thousands of miles away. Americans woke up to this reality 12 years ago.”

And Rouhani also avoids blame of the US for current crises, while being selective in the cases that he chooses: “We must join hands to constructively work toward national dialogue, whether in Syria or Bahrain.”

As for the nuclear issue, there is only this, linked to Rouhani’s effort to get Iran involved in top-table discussions on the Syrian conflict:

After 10 years of back-and-forth, what all sides don’t want in relation to our nuclear file is clear. The same dynamic is evident in the rival approaches to Syria.

This approach can be useful for efforts to prevent cold conflicts from turning hot. But to move beyond impasses, whether in relation to Syria, my country’s nuclear program or its relations with the United States, we need to aim higher. Rather than focusing on how to prevent things from getting worse, we need to think — and talk — about how to make things better. To do that, we all need to muster the courage to start conveying what we want — clearly, concisely and sincerely — and to back it up with the political will to take necessary action.

Rouhani Promotes Engagement With Saudi Arabia

In addition to his “engagement” with the US, President Rouhani yesterday discussed the prospect of improving relations with Saudi Arabia in a meeting with senior Hajj Agency officials.

Rouhani said, “This matter [of repairing relations with Saudi Arabia] was emphasized both in the Saudi Arabian King’s letter of congratulations and my thank-you letter to him. Both of us are interested to overcome minor tensions in the path of securing bilateral and Islamic world interests.”

(Hat tip: Iran Tracker)

Mohammad Javad Larijani Praises Supreme Leader’s “Heroic Flexibility”

Amid the excitement created by President Rouhani’s efforts to promote “engagement” with the United States, Head of Judiciary Human Rights Center Mohammad Javad Larijani has turned his attention to the Supreme Leader’s “heroic flexibility” rhetoric.

Attempting to focus attention on the Supreme Leader and away from Rouhani, Larijani, a prominent hardliner, credited Khamenei with the recent shift in Tehran’s foreign policy tone.

He stated, “We must repair our image in the world and be sensitive regarding our image on the international stage. Speech positions are each an opportunity for this act. The Supreme Leader also wants to elevate our diplomacy, and now is the time. The country’s diplomatic establishment is accompanied by fresh forces that must advance this project.”

Larijani, who is also the brother of the speaker of parliament Ali Larijani, declared “Interaction is our basis of discussion in foreign policy, which is sometimes accompanied with dialogue, laughter and frowning. Today is the time for the enemies’ diplomacy to notice the Islamic Republic’s dignity and special place in the world. Iran supports Syria as a Resistance country, but the West has attempted to overthrow governments related to the Resistance.”

He also waded into the current debate over the role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), backing the Corps and the Supreme Leader’s message. He claimed, “The [IRGC] has been a thorn in the enemies’ eyes, and whenever we mention this institution it disrupts the enemy’s psychological situation. It is very important within the Islamic system’s democratic identity and Iran’s regional influence. The Supreme Leader’s statement regarding heroic flexibility was very meaningful and from a position of strength. Because our diplomacy moves in the balance of this capability, we must plan in the international scene and pay attention to some dimensions.”

(Hat tip: Iran Tracker)