Washington: The US has given clear signals that it's going to follow tough policies in dealing with Iran, Syria and North Korea, asking the three countries to change their "troubling" behaviours.

Condoleeza Rice, the National Security Advisor, told reporters at US State Department on May 14 that Iran continued to "engage in behaviour that is deeply troubling and antithetical to American interests".

She said the US has long raised alarm over Iran's nuclear programme and now "the IAEA visit to Iran... seemed to raise a lot of questions about what the Iranians were doing under so-called civil nuclear uses measures".

"It is also the case that Iran is one of the chief sponsors of terrorism. Hezbollah is operating out of Iran. And Iran cannot continue to support rejectionist organisations as we try to pursue peace in the Middle East."

She said the US expected expect Iran to behave towards the new Iraqi government as a good neighbour in a transparent way, and not try to export its own form of government to Iraq.

About Syria, Rice said the Washington-Damascus relationship "has been problematic" because of the "policies and behaviour of Syria".

She mentioned "the Syrian support for terrorism, particularly for Hezbollah, but also other rejectionist organisations" and the Syrian occupation of Lebanon.

It has long been US policy that the occupation of Lebanon has to end, she said.

PTI