Iran’s government said Saturday that President Barack Obama’s willingness to talk to Tehran (without any preconditions) is proof that the ‘era of U.S. dominance’ has ended and that the West has become “passive.”

“This request means Western ideology has become passive, that capitalist thought and the system of domination have failed,” spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham was quoted as saying by the Mehr news agency.

“Negotiation is secondary, the main issue is that there is no way but for (the United States) to change,” he added.

The remarks came shortly after President Obama said he is willing to reach out to Iran.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad responded to Obama’s policy as well saying that he wants the new president to apologize for America’s “crimes” adding he expects “real and fundamental change.”

Although one’s initial reaction may be that the remarks prove that Iran is not willing to talk honestly and openly to the West but will make terrible demands instead, it could all be a bit more complicated. Tehran has lashed out at the United States for three decades now, calling it the “Great Satan” and accusing it all of the world’s ills. If he would happily accept Obama’s offer, Ahmadinejad would look like a little dog; he would be put ashame by fundamentalists at home and abroad. The attitude he has displayed in recent days may be undiplomatic, but it may be necessary bluster for domestic (political) purposes.

At the same time, Iranians are less hawkish than their president who they accuse of destroying the country’s image, reputation and economy. He is clearly trying to safe face, but ignoring Obama’s outreached hand will cause Ahmadinejad tremendous problems at home. This makes it unlikely that he will go on insulting the U.S. pubclily on every possible occasion.

That does not mean that he will be a reliable partner for peace and justice. Ahmadinejad is, above all, a radical, dreaming of destroying Israel and establishing worldwide Islamist rule.

Nonetheless, options certainly exist to make Iran less of an enemy and ‘bad boy’ than it currently is. The Iranian people are generally well educated, reasonable and even individualistic. If their leaders try to ignore them, the people will eventually rise up demanding change. Ahmadinejad knows this, making it unlikely for him to dismiss the U.S. too easily. He will have to engage in negotiations, he will have to give America something.

The question is whether this ‘something’ is what America wants and needs. I’m inclined to say no. Then again, we will never know if we don’t try. As Cernig made clear to me recently in a private conversation, talking to Iran can’t worsen the situation. At least, and I’m sure Cernig disagrees with me on this ‘but,’ not as long as other options remain on the table if negotiations fail.