Bill Clinton supports dialogue with Iran

Former President Bill Clinton on Thursday endorsed the idea of talks with Iran and Syria to help ease the bloodletting in Iraq, saying it would also be in Tehran's interests.

"I agree that we should reach out to the Iranians and the Syrians and try to get a regional solution. Right now the Iranians don't want to do anything, probably because their policy seems to be, whatever causes America heartburn is good for us," Clinton told the Dutch TV program Nova.

"But the truth is there are 1.6 million Iraqi refugees already," he explained, adding that there could be as many as 10 million if the situation deteriorated to a point similar to the worst days of the Bosnian conflict.

"Most of them would be in Iran. I don't really think Iran wants that, so I think there may be an opportunity for us all to work together."