Paul says friendship best way to deal with Iran

Republican presidential hopeful U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, speaks during the Iowa Republican Party's Ronald Reagan Dinner, Friday, Nov. 4, 2011, in Des Moines, Iowa. Paul decried Washington's spending and the nation's military actions abroad in his remarks. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Republican presidential hopeful U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, speaks during the Iowa Republican Party's Ronald Reagan Dinner, Friday, Nov. 4, 2011, in Des Moines, Iowa. Paul decried Washington's spending and the nation's military actions abroad in his remarks. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

(AP) ? GOP presidential hopeful Ron Paul says "offering friendship" to Iran, not sanctions, would be a more fruitful to achieving peace with Tehran.

The Texas congressman says fears about Iran's nuclear program have been "blown out of proportion." He says tough penalties are a mistake because, as he says was the case in Iraq, they only hurt the local population and still paved a path to war.

When asked on "Fox News Sunday" what he would do to deter Iran's alleged nuclear ambitions, Paul said "maybe offering friendship to them."

Paul's remarks put him at odds with both the Bush and Obama administrations; U.S. policy has relied heavily on sanctions and diplomacy to try to convince Tehran to abandon its atomic program. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2011-11-06-Paul-Iran/id-3c168191ad5547f59680d66612442fd1

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