Washington  - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday in a foreign policy address that the United States remains willing to engage traditional foes, but warned it should not be seen as a sign of weakness.

"Our willingness to talk is not a sign of weakness to be exploited," Clinton said in a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations think tank in Washington.

Under President Barack Obama's administration, the United States will employ "smart power" to advance its interests and confront international challenges while strengthening partnerships with allies and emerging powers, Clinton said.

The United States remains interested in holding direct dialogue with Iran, Clinton said, but added that the Islamic state's recent election and subsequent violence puts a "different complexion" on the government in Tehran.

"We really don't know what the intentions is ... at this point in time," she said.

Obama and Clinton have pledged to reach out to the Muslim world and countries like Cuba, Iran and North Korea to address decades of hostility. They want to improve relations with allies and other countries that suffered during George W Bush's presidency.

"We lost ground in recent years, but the damage is temporary," she said.  (dpa)