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Iran's parliament speaker slammed on Saturday comments made by President-elect Barack Obama in which he said that a nuclear-armed Iran was "unacceptable," calling the remarks a step "in the wrong direction."The official, Ali Larijani, was quoted on Iran's state-run news agency, IRNA. Meanwhile, Iran's state radio said that Obama's call for preventing the Persian country from developing nuclear arms would cast doubt and disappoint Iranian expectations of changes in the US foreign policy with the new administration.In his first press conference since securing the United States presidency on Tuesday, Obama said Friday that a nuclear-armed Iran would be "unacceptable."Asked whether he responded to the letter of congratulation from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - the first instance of an Iranian leader congratulating an American president-elect since the Islamic Revolution which brought the ayatollahs to power in 1979 - Obama said "I am aware that the letter was sent," adding that so soon after the election there had been no time to "review the letter and respond as appropriate."Obama also said that Iran's support of terror groups "must cease," and that the US must mount "an international effort to keep [Iran's acquiring nuclear weapons] from happening."His opening speech at the conference implied that the global economic crisis would be one of the first matters to be tackled after his inauguration on January 20, 2009.Regarding both the Iranian issue and the economy, Obama reminded reporters that the US "can only have one president at a time," and that US President George W. Bush's administration was still the US government until his inauguration.Regarding Iran, Obama said "I want to be very careful that we are sending the right signals to the world as a whole that I am not the president and I won't be until January 20th," and avoided outlining a policy whilst Bush remains in power.Asked what would be his current response to the Bush administration's handling of the economy, Obama said "the critical tone that has to be struck by all of us right now is the American people need help, the economy needs help, and now is a good time to set politics aside for a while and think practically what would actually work to help."He said the middle class would be the demographic most in need of help, saying 95 percent of Americans would benefit from his economic agenda.Obama said he and his wife Michelle were "graciously" invited by Bush and his wife Laura to visit the White House.Asked about consulting with former US presidents, Obama said he met with all former presidents "who are living," including Republican George Bush, father of the current president and the man who presided over Operation Desert Storm in Iraq in the early 1990s.Obama said he also read the biographies of former presidents and cited former US president Abraham Linclon as "an extraordinary inspiration."Finally, a reporter asked what breed of dog the Obamas will bring to the White House, a question that seems to be high on the mind of Americans, according to Obama. He said the family considered taking a dog from a shelter, but eventually decided against taking a dog that would be "a mutt like me," referring to his mixed Caucasian and African lineage.As in the days of Noah...
