Iran's relief from international sanctions under last year's nuclear deal has offered it a rare opportunity for economic recovery and more active engagement with the world, the US State Department said.
John Kirby, a spokesperson for the department, was answering a question about the effects of the accord on Iran's foreign policy in a daily press briefing on Friday.
It is a "fact that we know many Iranians want to have better relations with the rest of the world. They want to be more outward-looking. Not everybody does, but it's a very young population, and we know that there are even some [officials] that would like to be more open to the rest of the world," Kirby said.
"And we have seen in many places around the world when formerly closed societies become more open, that it can have a positive effect on -- not only on their local economy, their security, their stability, upward mobility of the population, but also increased and more constructive relations with neighbors."
January this year saw the pact go into effect to roll back Tehran's nuclear program in return for the removal of crippling economic sanctions.
President Hassan Rouhani hopes to capitalize on the momentum created in the absence of sanctions to push through his economic agenda by encouraging and attracting foreign investment and technology.
Domestic critics of the deal and Rouhani's strong political opponents, however, appear dead set on torpedoing his plans.
They claim increased cooperation with the international community could amount to giving hostile western powers the long-sought foothold in the country.
Contributing Factor
The US Department of State's website quoted Kirby as saying, "Trade could be one of those factors … [which can contribute to] an opening by the Iranian people to better relations with the West. If that could lead to moderating behavior or the cessation of [alleged] destabilizing activity, well, that's all to the good."
"If the money that is obtained as a result of that from the deal is used for terrorist activities, we still have plenty of tools at our disposal to deal with that," he added.
Washington labels resistance groups that stand up to Israel, including Lebanon's Hezbollah, as terrorist organizations and describes Iran's support for such groups as sponsoring terrorism, a charge Tehran has vigorously denied.
Despite Israel's long list of atrocities and lawlessness against innocent Palestinian civilians, which have often been documented by western and international organizations and human rights groups, successive US governments continue to extend full economic, military and political support to the occupying power.
