'Test for the change word.' Larijani
Photo: Reuters
'Disappointing stance.' Obama
Photo: AP
Iranian parliament speaker criticizes Obama
Larijani says new US president's stance Gaza crisis 'created many doubts about the change theory'. Editorial: Obama took a negative and disappointing stance on Palestine
Iran's parliament speaker said his country has doubts that President Barack Obama's Mideast policy will be different from the Bush administration, state television reported Sunday.
Suspicious Iranian Ships
British Times newspaper says American naval taskforce in Gulf of Aden ordered to hunt for suspicious Iranian ships seeking to smuggle weapons to Gaza Strip
Speaker Ali Larijani said Obama's stance on the crisis in Gaza and the United States' support for Israel have "created many doubts about the 'change' theory."
He also cautioned that Obama's actions on Iran's disputed nuclear program would be "another test for the change word" used by the new president during his campaign.
The more critical comments come days after Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki struck a moderate tone after Obama's inauguration. "We are ready for new approaches by the United States," he said Wednesday.
But Larijani's more skeptical words come after Obama's made his first comments on the recent Gaza conflict since taking office on Tuesday. Obama struck themes familiar with Bush over Gaza crisis including supporting Israel's right to defend itself, criticizing rocket attacks by Hamas, lamenting civilian deaths in Gaza and favoring an international effort to develop a durable ceasefire.
One Iranian hard-line newspaper, Jomhuri Eslami, criticized Obama in its editorial on Sunday.
"Obama took a negative and disappointing stance on Palestine," the editorial said in response to Obama's comments on Gaza.
'Waiting for US to take the first step'
The US has not had any diplomatic mission in Iran since the seizure of the American Embassy and hostage crisis during Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.
But during the Bush administration, the two countries had an increasingly tense relationship. Tehran and Washington have been deeply at odds over Iran's nuclear program and what the US says is Iranian support for Shiite Muslim militiamen in neighboring Iraq, a charge Iran denies.
Obama has said he would seek dialogue with Iran to defuse the years-long confrontation over Tehran's nuclear ambitions and support of militant groups around the Middle East.
But the new president has not been specific on what incentives Washington might offer to end the deadlock between the two countries. Mottaki said Tehran was waiting for "practical policies" from the Obama administration before making any specific judgments.
Iran's two most powerful figures, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have been unusually silent on Obama in the past months.
"The Iranian leaders have been silent since they are waiting for practical steps by new US administration. They are waiting for the US to take the first step," said Saeed Laylaz, a political analyst in Tehran.
