Who said this? "Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons is unacceptable"

There will be a lot of sad folks in Tehran today. But Mr Obama needs to remember that he is no longer campaigning. He should be careful about issuing checks that may bounce.

 

Last update - 00:55 08/11/2008       
Obama: Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons is unacceptable
By Haaretz Service and The Associated Press

In Barack Obama's first press conference as United States president-elect Friday, he declared his intention to foil Iran's pursuit of nuclear arms.

 

"Iran's development of a nuclear weapon, I believe, is unacceptable and we have to mount an international effort to prevent that from happening," said Obama, speaking in Chicago.

 

The president-elect made the comments on Iran in response to a journalist's question on what approach he might take with Tehran, given the drawn-out dispute between the United States and Iran over its nuclear program.
 

He also said Iran's support of terrorist organizations was "something that has to cease."

 

Obama confirmed that he had received a letter of congratulations from Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He said that he would review the message and respond appropriately.

 

Declining to say what proposals he might pursue in connection with Iran, Obama said that, "We have only one president at a time."

 

He added that he will move deliberately on how to respond to Iran and what the response might be, but that he won't do it in a "knee-jerk fashion."

 

Obama said: "I am not the president and I won't be until January 20."

 

The president-elect's comments came shortly after Defense Minister Ehud Barak told visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday that Israel would not rule out any course of action to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear weapons.

 

Most of Obama's press conference was devoted to his plans to deal with the financial crisis that is wreaking havoc on the U.S. economy.

 

Surrounded by a large group of economic advisers, he said the hardships many Americans were suffering economically were an urgent reminder that the nation's leaders must act swiftly to stabilize the financial industry.

 

Obama went on to say that he has asked his transition team, specifically, to work on some ideas to help the staggering auto industry.

 

Rep. Rahm Emanuel, Obama's newly chosen White House chief of staff, was among those who stood at his side, along with former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker and Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm.