Senator Clinton last night urged America to take a hard line in dealing with Iran’s nuclear ambitions and suggested that the use of military force to resolve the crisis should not be dismissed.

“We cannot and should not – must not permit Iran to build or acquire nuclear weapons,” Mrs. Clinton said during a wide-ranging foreign policy speech at Princeton University. “We must move as quickly as feasible for sanctions in the United Nations and we cannot take any option off the table in sending a clear message to the current leadership of Iran.”

Mrs. Clinton said a recent series of inflammatory remarks by President Ahmadinejad, including comments denying the Holocaust, were an ominous indication of Iran’s intentions when it moved last week to restart its nuclear programs. “Now, he is moving to create his own nuclear reality in line with his despicable rewriting of history,” the senator said.

While Mrs. Clinton’s comments on Iran were generally in line with the Bush administration’s position, she also suggested that President Bush erred by “standing on the sidelines” while Britain, France, and Germany attempted to broker a deal with the Iranians. “I believe that we lose critical time in dealing with Iran because the White House chose to downplay the threats and outsource the negotiations,” she said.

Mrs. Clinton also jabbed at Mr. Bush over the war in Iraq, referring to it as “the long and drawn-out conflict this administration triggered.” She said she still opposes an immediate withdrawal of American forces from Iraq, though her remarks contained strains of the recent call by Rep. John Murtha for a rapid retreat from the country.

“I do not believe that we should allow this to be an open-ended commitment, without limits or end. Nor do I believe that we or should pull out of Iraq immediately,” the senator said. “If last December’s elections lead to a successful Iraqi government, that should allow us to start drawing down our troops during this year while leaving behind a smaller contingent in safe areas with greater intelligence and quick strike capabilities.”

Mrs. Clinton said one reason for American to maintain a presence in Iraq is to ward off interference from Tehran. “It will send a message to Iran that they do not have a free hand in Iraq, despite their considerable influence and personal and religious connections there,” she said.

The most striking aspect of Mrs. Clinton’s speech, delivered under the auspices of Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, was her endorsement of America’s role as a proponent of freedom abroad.

“The dream of democracy and human rights is one that should belong to all peoples in the Middle East and across the world,” the senator said. “There is no racial, religious cultural, or other barrier that prevents people from dreaming of and even craving religious freedom.”

Mrs. Clinton’s indirect endorsement of Mr. Bush’s ideals was tempered with suggestions that the administration has too often offered little more than words on the subject. “We must stand on the side of democracy wherever we can help it take hold, not just with speeches, but with support that helps real people take charge of their own lives,” the senator said. “We have to approach that enterprise with humility and we have to be willing to analyze and hold accountable the policies that we pursue. It will not further our common goals or our American ideals if we veer away from evidence-based decision-making and substitute instead ideology and arrogance.”

Mrs. Clinton said upcoming elections for the Palestinian Authority will give Palestinian Arabs a chance to renounce terrorism and attempt real self-government. “No more excuses for the Palestinians. They have to demonstrate clearly and unequivocally their commitment to a peaceful future and they also have to demonstrate their ability to deliver services to their people,” she said. “Words alone are insufficient.”

Mrs. Clinton also delivered an implicit warning against the election of members of a Palestinian Arab terrorist group, Hamas. “What is not on the ballot and cannot be put into question is Israel’s right to exist and exist in safety,” she said.

The senator said she remains hopeful about the prospects for peace in the Middle East. She joked that while Americans are often faulted for being ignorant of history, that can sometimes be an asset in resolving longstanding feuds. “It also gives grounds for optimism if you have no idea what happened before,” she said.

Mrs. Clinton did not take questions following her 45-minute speech, which the Sun monitored via a webcast arranged by the university.