US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States remains open to engagement with Iran amid tensions over its nuclear aims. Mrs. Clinton said in an interview with to a US daily on Sunday that before the talks begins Iran have to reassure the international community by words and actions as to what their nuclear programme is intended for. Clinton's comments were released by the State Department on Sunday, a day after brief quotes from her 20-minute her interview appeared in the newspaper. Earlier this week, President Barack Obama cautiously welcomed the effects of new sanctions on Iran but said he remained willing to talk with Tehran about its nuclear programme. Reports said Obama left open the possibility that the United States would accept a deal allowing Iran to maintain its civilian nuclear programme, so long as Tehran provides confidence-building measures to verify that it is not building a bomb.