The Salt Lake Tribune

SNOWBIRD SKI RESORT - Remembering how, for 14 months, he prayed for a peaceful end to the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, former President Carter told an audience of 300 on Thursday that he hopes the United States will soon restore diplomatic relations with Iran to dealing with nuclear proliferation in that country.

Carter said he was encouraged by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's remarks this week to European leaders that the United States would not contemplate military action against Iran. But he said he was disappointed that the Bush administration has abandoned every nuclear treaty created between the Eisenhower and Clinton administrations.

"We have rejected the promises that we've had for the last 25 years not to use nuclear weapons as a first-strike option," he said. "We need to restrain ourselves before we demand other nations restrain themselves."

Carter made his comments during a question-and-answer period with contributors gathered at Snowbird for the Carter Center Weekend fund-raising dinner and auction. Proceeds from the auction of Carter's paintings, presidential memorabilia and other items will go to his nonprofit, nongovernmental organization.

Sitting in a black leather chair next to his wife, Rosalynn, the former president spoke of the recent success of election of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his optimism for a path to peace between Palestinians and Israelis.

"I'm much more encouraged than I have been for the last six to eight years," he said.

Asked about the Iraq election, Carter said he was pleased with the turnout, and hoped the religious Shiites would be open-mined enough to include their traditional rivals, the Sunnis, in the political process.

However, he also called the war in Iraq "unnecessary" and later described the United States as a politically divided nation.

"Our country is more deeply divided now than it's been since the war between the states," he said.

Thursday's discussion went beyond the Middle East. The Carters both spoke on their center's mission to improve democracy around the world, fight disease and political corruption in Third World countries, and expand human rights throughout the world.

"We actually go in the villages and treat the people and put the medicine in their mouths," Carter said.

Rosalynn Carter said the center also was devoted to treat mental health problems such as depression in adults and particularly in children.

Carter formed the Carter Center after losing his second bid for election in 1980. The foundation's staff of 150 employees and has an annual budget of $35 million to $40 million.

Carter said he hoped the United States would soon again be a superpower that other countries would feel comfortable coming to for help.

"I think a superpower should be the most generous nation in the world," he said.