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The Iranians Seem Preoccupied - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 6/26/09
— Sunday, June 28, 2009 —
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Q The President has always made an argument that unilateral engagement makes sense for our -- within Iran -- for our national security interests. I'm sure that he takes issue with some of the ways Iran conducts itself, that regime conducts itself up to this point, yet he still felt that engagement was a good policy. Today he seems to be saying engagement has to be on hold. In any way does that undercut the argument that he's made all along, that something has changed?

MR. GIBBS: No, I think -- again, I think what the President did today was largely reiterate what he'd said earlier in the week, that we're going to -- there obviously are a series of events that have yet to play out in Iran, and we'll watch those events play out. I think our long-term interest, as it relates to Iran and the danger in the region remain, quite honestly, no different than they remained the day before the election. We've all witnessed the images since the days of that election, and that's I think foremost on the minds of not only this President and this administration, but people throughout the world.

Q But you still believe in engagement as a policy?

MR. GIBBS: He does, understanding right now that the Iranians seem preoccupied.

Yes, sir.

Q Chancellor Merkel today spoke directly to the election results in Iran when she said that there should be a re-vote, some kind of recount. I haven't heard President Obama say anything like that. Does he agree with Chancellor Merkel on that?

MR. GIBBS: That's a decision that Iranians are going to have to make about their own leadership.

Q So are you saying that Chancellor Merkel was going to go further than -- went further than President Obama was prepared to?

MR. GIBBS: I'm not going to -- I've not been hired to characterize Chancellor Merkel's statements.

Q But he said they spoke with one voice.

MR. GIBBS: In condemning the violence. I think you all have heard everything that the President said on this.

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