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Last update - 21:18 28/06/2009
Obama aide: Ahmadinejad not in charge of Iran foreign policy
By The Associated Press

The White House contended on Sunday that Iran's president wasn't in charge of his country's foreign policy and said his criticism of Washington was little more than bloviations.

President Barack Obama's top adviser, David Axelrod, said the U.S. remains open to meeting, alongside its European allies, with Iran in Paris in an effort to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

"We are not looking to reward Iran. We are looking to ... sit down and talk to the Iranians and offer them two paths. And one brings them back into the community of nations, and the other has some very stark consequences," Axelrod said.
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But he was careful to signal that the White House doesn't think Ahmadinejad has the final say over Iran's interaction with the West.

"We are also mindful of the fact that the nuclear weapons in Iran and the
nuclearization of that whole region is a threat to that country, all countries in the region, and the world. And we have to address that. We can't let that lie," Axelrod said.

Iran has accused the West of stoking unrest, singling out Britain and the
United States for alleged meddling. Last week, Iran expelled two British
diplomats, and Britain responded in kind. Iran has also said it's considering downgrading diplomatic ties with Britain; the U.S. does not have diplomatic relations with the country.

Axelrod said Tehran faces a choice between engaging the West or facing further isolation in the wake of a presidential election that sent protesters to the streets and amid questions of its validity.

"Let's be clear that we didn't meddle in the election in Iran," Axelrod said. "The dispute in Iran is between the leadership in Iran and their own people, and plainly, Mr. Ahmadinejad thinks that by fingering the United States, that he can create a political diversion. So I'm not going to entertain his bloviations that are politically motivated."

He said Ahmadinejad's accusations are meant for domestic consumption and to quell unrest after his re-election that his opponents call a fraud.


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      1.   We hear you Axlerod 19:11  |  Natallie Durson 28/06/09
      2.   Obama adviser - the top one.... 19:27  |  17 28/06/09
      3.   #1 Natalie Durson 19:52  |  H 28/06/09
      4.   What to Do? 20:14  |  Douglas Fireman 28/06/09
      5.   You did meddle 20:18  |  Joshua 28/06/09
      6.   David 20:35  |  Yosemite 28/06/09
      7.   H in london--sure you want to go down that road--old chap 20:37  |  zero tolerance 28/06/09
      8.   #5 at least they taking their own property by force 20:40  |  Labhras 28/06/09
      9.   #7 Zero Tolerance..and it`s not "old Chap" 20:56  |  H 28/06/09
      10.   #3 H...Durson is a stooge 21:10  |  Lynn 28/06/09
      11.   agreed, she`s got the facts wrong, as usual! 21:35  |  michelle 28/06/09
      12.   Mr. Axelrod you`re either misquoted or not truthful. 21:58  |  Lou Medel 28/06/09
      13.   Well Here`s Some Good News For Mahmoud... 23:01  |  Yosemite 28/06/09
      14.   Hey Axelrod 23:27  |  Leon 28/06/09
      15.   Self- delusion 23:33  |  Shalom Freedman 28/06/09
      16.   #1--exactly backwards 23:53  |  Paul Freedman 28/06/09
      17.   So Labhrarse stands with the mullahs. What else is new? 00:17  |  Nemesis 29/06/09
      18.   You`re so dumb you probably think signing Shalom/Salaam is ironic 00:21  |  Nemesis 29/06/09
      19.   Who is in charge of U.S. foreign policy? 00:34  |  JG, Caesarea 29/06/09
      20.   Why Not Leave It . . 00:35  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/06/09
      21.   True, BUT 02:17  |  Mark Lincoln 29/06/09
      22.   MEDEL bothe CIA chief & IAEA chief suspect Iran is making nuclear 04:17  |  PETER SM 29/06/09
      23.   0TOLERANCE I How many Israelis can you kill with 10000+ missiles 04:23  |  PETER SM 29/06/09
      24.   Obama has been fooled again 06:25  |  Malach HaMavet 29/06/09
      25.   H-London 06:50  |  *BEN JABO 29/06/09
      26.   Lou Medel - reality never intrudes 06:51  |  Mark Lincoln 29/06/09
      27.   Peter Sado Masochist 06:56  |  Mark Lincoln 29/06/09
      28.   To Peter S 06:59  |  mark Lincoln 29/06/09
      29.   Iran`s foreign policy will become more extreme 07:23  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 29/06/09
      30.   H Natalie sits in sunny La and throws stones. H Thank u for your 03:27  |  ks 14/08/09
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