Ahmadinejad: Iran 'Open to Cooperation' with U.S. on the Taliban

September 19, 2010— -- In an exclusive interview on "This Week with Christiane Amanpour," Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he is open to diplomatic discussions with the United States on the subject of Afghanistan.

"I think that discussions are always good, provided they are done respectfully and based on mutual trust," Ahmadinejad told Amanpour. "If the U.S. administration truly wishes to alter its policies in Afghanistan, and In Iraq, and to move in a direction that serves the interest of the people of those two countries, we are always open to cooperation, as we are now."

Amanpour had heard directly from President Obama that he would be open to having diplomatic discussions with Iran about Afghanistan, but the Iranian leader had yet to address the offer until now.