Obama's stance on Tehran too timid, say critics

WASHINGTON - Under pressure to harden his stance, United States President Barack Obama has condemned the regime in Tehran for the violence against protesters, but has still given no indication that he is ready to step back from his campaign promise to reach out to the country.

The "world is watching," Obama told the ruling clergy. "We mourn each and every innocent life that is lost.

"We call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people."

Reports that at least 10 people had been killed in a government crackdown further underlined the difficulty of Obama's position.

The turmoil has complicated Obama's attempts to draw Iran into more constructive talks with the West on its nuclear programme. Making any such diplomatic overtures to a regime sullied by the events of recent days looks less tenable.

One leading voice on foreign affairs on Capitol Hill, Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana, yesterday suggested that new contacts should still be pursued with Iran, adding that either Obama or Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should be ready to meet their counterparts from Iran.

Some analysts see an opening for the US over the longer term from the turmoil in Iran if it has the effect of loosening the unquestionable authority of the ruling theocracy.

The fine line walked by Obama may be paying off. It has not gone unnoticed in Washington that although several European Union leaders were faster to lambast Iran for the conduct of the election and repression of the protests, some of those countries, among them Britain, have been the targets of retaliatory rhetoric.

Nevertheless, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yesterday included the US alongside Britain in a new broadside against claimed foreign interference, warning that "hasty comments" would mean neither country would "have a place in the circle of the Iranian nation's friends".

There are growing divides in Washington over the wisdom of Obama's approach.

An influential member of the US Senate, Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said the President was too "timid and passive".

But Obama said the Iranian people will ultimately judge the actions of their own government. "If the Iranian Government seeks the respect of the international community, it must respect the dignity of its own people and govern through consent, not coercion, " he said.

"The last thing that I want to do is to have the US be a foil for those forces inside Iran who would love nothing better than to make this an argument about the US. We shouldn't be playing into that."

HOW WELL IS OBAMA HANDLING IT?

'The President of the United States is supposed to lead the free world, not follow it. He's been timid and passive more than I would like.' - Republican Senator Lindsey Graham

'I'd like to see the President be stronger than he has been, although I appreciate the comments that he made yesterday. I think we ought to have America lead.' - Republican Senator John McCain

'It is very crucial ... that we not have our fingerprints on this, that this really be ... truly inspired by the Iranian people. We don't know where this goes.' - Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein

'The challenge continues ... Either the protesters bring about change or they're suppressed, and it's a potentially very brutal outcome.' - Republican Senator Richard Lugar

'If America stands for democracy and all of these demonstrations are going on in Tehran ... and people don't think that we really care, then obviously they're going to question, 'Do we really believe in our principles?' - Republican Senator Chuck Grassley

- INDEPENDENT, AP