Obama: Iran as threat but US should try diplomacy

WASHINGTON, Jan 9 (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama said on Friday he views Iran as a "genuine threat" but still favors initiating a dialogue with the Islamic republic.

Asked about Iran at a news conference, Obama said he would not go into detail on his policy toward Tehran because of the principle that there is only one president at a time.

But he said, "I have said in the past during the course of the campaign that Iran is a genuine threat to U.S. national security."

"But I have also said that we should be willing to initiate diplomacy as a mechanism to achieve our national security goals, and my national security team, I think, is reflective of that pratical, pragmatic approach to foreign policy," said Obama, who takes over from President George W. Bush on Jan. 20.

(Reporting by Caren Bohan and Andy Sullivan)