Reza Molavi told IRNA that western countries have now accepted the reality that the carrot and stick policy to isolate Iran has been "misguided and non-constructive".
"The westerners are still treating Iran as it was 30 years ago, ignoring its scientific and technological advancements after the 1979 Islamic Revolution," he said, referring to the country's breakthroughs in the nuclear, aerospace and scientific sectors.
Molavi, the director of Durham University's Centre for Iranian Studies, added that women now account for more than 60 percent of Iranian university capacities while more than 85 percent of all Iranians are now literate.
He said such standards are so high that have changed the way the West should deal with post-revolution Iran.
Movali said Iranian scientists have attained "remarkable achievements" in the past three decades despite sanctions and limitations imposed by the West, adding that the independence and self-sufficiency of Iranians in many sectors of science and technology are "undeniable".
"The reality is that present Iran is now very different from what it was three decades ago and this has created conditions for the West to revise its policies against Iran."
Molavi said he favours talks between Iran and the United States only if they are "based on justice and mutual respect", adding that the US-based Zionist lobby, the IAPAC, might create obstacles on the way of Iran-US rapprochement.
He said it is necessary for the West to resume negotiations with Iran as soon as possible as they could be "fruitful" for both parties.
"If America wants to resolve its problems in the Middle East, there is no other way around but to engage Iran who will then need the investment and cooperation of western companies for its development projects," he said.
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