Channels

US president-elect Obama
Photo: AP

Obama: Nuclear Iran unacceptable

In first news conference since election, US president-elect urges international effort to keep Islamic Republic from developing nuclear weapon. 'Iran's support of terrorist organizations must cease,' he says

An international effort must be made to keep Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, US president-elect Barack Obama said on Friday.

 

"Iran's development of a nuclear weapon, I believe is unacceptable," he said at a news conference in Chicago, his first since being elected Tuesday. "Iran's support of terrorist organizations, I think is something that has to cease."

 

Obama said he would be reviewing a letter from Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, congratulating him on his election, and would "respond appropriately."

 

But he said the US approach to Iran could not be done in a "knee-jerk" fashion. "I think we've got to think it through," he said.

 

Obama stressed that he had not yet begun his term as president. "We only have one president at a time," he said, adding that he wants to be careful to send the signal to the world that "I'm not the president and I won't be until Jan. 20."

 

The future president said the United States was facing one of its greatest economic challenges and vowed to confront the crisis head-on as soon as he takes office in January.

 

 He noted the latest economic data showing significant job losses and an increase in unemployment. "We are facing the greatest economic challenge of our lifetime and we're going to have to act swiftly to resolve it," he said.

 


פרסום ראשון: 11.07.08, 22:50
 new comment
Warning:
This will delete your current comment