Ahmadinejad: Obama must apologize for remarks

June 26, 2009

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad demanded that President Obama apologize for criticizing the Iranian government's crackdown on protesters.

In a speech at a chemical plant in southern Iran, Ahmadinejad accused Obama of acting like former President George W. Bush and said he was "interfering" in Iranian affairs, according to media reports.

On Tuesday, Obama said he was "appalled and outraged by the threats, beatings and imprisonments of the last few days" in Iran.

"I hope you avoid interfering in Iran's affairs and express your regret in a way that the Iranian nation is informed of it," Ahmadinejad said. "Do you want to speak with this tone?" he said. "If that is your stance, then what is left to talk about?"

He added that Obama had "fallen into this trap and repeated the comments that Bush used to make" and that it will "only make you another Bush in the eyest of the people."

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