The Obama administration will work closely with the British government to make Iran a responsible member of the international community.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made the remark during her meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband in Washington on Tuesday.

During her first face-to-face talk with close European allies since taking office on January the 21st, Clinton discussed a series of tough issues with British counterpart David Miliband.

They spoke about the global financial crisis, the Middle East conflict, the situation in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Iran's nuclear program.

Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, said, "Iran has an opportunity to step up and become a productive member of the international community. As President Obama said, we are reaching out a hand but the fist has to unclench. And we will see how we will proceed together, toward a policy that we believe represents the objectives that we share vis-a-vis Iran."

Besides sharing similar views with the US on world issues, Miliband reiterated the strong ties between Britain and the US.

He also praised the smooth transition of the US administration and the continuity of its foreign policies.

The meeting between Clinton and Miliband is the first at a ministerial level, since the new US administration took power.

(CCTV February 4, 2009)