His Majesty King Abdullah said during recent talks in Washington with US President Barack Obama and other high-ranking US officials that the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian problem is the only workable answer on the table.

There are simply no other options that are viable or operational.

Also recently, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that his country would be willing to support the two-state solution if Palestinians themselves agreed to this basis for a settlement.

This could indeed give a positive push to the peace process dynamics and encourage, perhaps, a new attempt at arriving at a solution to this protracted problem; only these are not straightforward pronouncements on the condition for peace in the region.

Ahmadinejad knows only too well that Hamas has yet to come on board for the two-state solution; its rhetoric so far suggests that this answer, on which there is wide international consensus, is not what the Islamic movement has in mind.

Iran enjoys considerable leverage with Hamas and can influence it to reach an understanding with Fateh and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, as a prelude to endorsing the two-state solution.

Tehran has come half way by declaring its acceptance of the two-state solution, because by making it conditional on Hamas’ endorsement of this solution, its new posture remains short circuited.

The current leadership in Iran is busy establishing new bridges with the international community. There is no better way to advance this effort than through encouraging peace between Israelis and the Palestinians.

Tehran’s moving closer to this solution will help it in the region and elsewhere, and help push the peace process forward in a meaningful way.

It is hoped that the Iranian president will continue along this path and come unequivocally out in support of the two-state solution in Palestine.