"It is not productive, given the history of US-Iranian relations, to be seen as meddling -- the US president meddling in Iranian elections," Obama told White House reporters in response to a question on Iran at the Rose Gardens where he addressed a joint press conference with the visiting South Korean President, Lee Myung-bak.
Obama was asked to comment on the increasing protests in Iran by opposition parties and their supporters, who are alleging that the just concluded presidential elections were rigged and was not free and fair.
"I have said before that I have deep concerns about the election. I think that the world has deep concerns about the election," Obama said. "You have seen in Iran, some initial reaction from the supreme leader indicates he understands the Iranian people have deep concerns about the election," the US President said.
Obama hoped that the Iranian people will take the right steps in order to express their aspirations.
"I do believe that something has happened in Iran where there is a questioning of the kinds of antagonistic postures towards the international community that have taken place in the past, and that there are people who want to see greater openness and greater debate and want to see greater democracy," he said.
"How that plays out over the next several days and several weeks is something ultimately for the Iranian people to decide. But I stand strongly with the universal principle that people's voices should be heard and not suppressed," Obama said.
