Iranian Leader Assails President Obama's Outreach

Jake Tapper is ABC News' Senior White House Correspondent based in the network's Washington bureau. He writes about politics and popular culture and covers a range of national stories.

March 21, 2009 8:35 AM

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was not particularly receptive to President Obama's historical video message to the Iranian people for Nowruz -- at least not for public consumption.

"Change in words is not enough, although we have not seen change in words either," Khamenei said before a crowd of thousands in the holy city of Mashhad (literally: the place of martyrdom). "Change must be real. We should tell American officials that the change he (Obama) is talking about is a must. You have no choice and must change. If you do not change, God's divine line of conduct will change you. The world will change you."

"As long as the US administration continues its approach, actions, directions and policies like past thirty years, we are the same nation as we were over these 30 years," he said.

He continued: "Has your hostility towards the Iranian nation changed? Where are its signs? Have you unblocked the assets of the Iranian nation? Have you lifted the oppressive sanctions? Have you given up your mudslinging and making accusations against this great nation and its popular officials? Have you stopped your unconditional support for Israel? What has changed? They give the slogan of change but we have seen nothing in practice. We have seen no change."

Khamenei's speech was broadcast live on state television.

"They say they have extended a hand to Iran," he continued. "What kind of hand is that? If the extended hand wears a velvet glove and there is a hand made of iron cast underneath, it will not have a good meaning at all."

Said the leader: "Our nation dislikes it when you say we both negotiate and coerce or when you allure and intimidate us. You cannot talk with our nation that way. We do not have any background of the new government and president of America. We will monitor their performance and will judge. If you change, our behavior will change too."

- jpt