White House Iran must play constructive role

WASHINGTON, Nov 14 (Reuters) The United States does not need to adjust its attitude toward Iran, but rather Tehran must play a constructive role in the Middle East, the White House said today.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said earlier he was ready to talk to the United States if there was a change of attitude in Washington, which faces pressure to deal directly with Tehran to help ease violence in Iraq.

''I don't think this is about a U.S. attitude adjustment,'' said Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for the White House National Security Council. ''The collective attitude of the world is that Iran needs to play a constructive role in the region, not meddle in Iraq, and stop its enrichment activities,'' Johndroe said that leaders of Britain and Iraq had expressed similar sentiments, ''and President (George W) Bush has made his position clear.'' Bush is under pressure to change policy on Iraq after his Republican Party lost control of the US Congress in last week's elections, and some are saying he should open a dialogue with Iran and Syria to help calm the situation in Iraq.

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