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Iran's supreme leader says US 'deeply' hated in Midest

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-06-04 16:22

TEHRAN -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Thursday the United States was "deeply" hated in the Middle East and urged Washington to take "actions" to transform its image.

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"The nations in this part of the world deeply hate America because they have seen violence, military intervention and discrimination," Khamenei said in a televised speech on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of death of Iran's late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

The new US government could not change its image by "words, speeches and slogans," Khamenei said. "Actions are needed."

The Iranian supreme leader's remarks came as US President Barack Obama arrived Thursday morning in Cairo, where he will deliver a much-anticipated speech to the Muslim world in Cairo University.

The speech had been promised by Obama after he assumed office in January, a move viewed as his reachout to the Muslims to mend the US-Muslim ties tarnished by his predecessor's administration.

Tehran and Washington broke up diplomatic ties in 1980 following Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution and the succedent hostage incident of US embassy in Tehran.

Relations between the two long foes deteriorated during former US President George W. Bush's term in part due to Tehran's controversial nuclear program.

The United States and some of its allies accused Iran of using a civilian cover to develop atomic weapons, but Iran denied all the accusations, saying it's nuclear program was just for peaceful purposes.