US President Barack Obama on Tuesday said he was "deeply troubled" by the developments in Iran where a disputed election has sparked protests and insisted that an investigation into the electoral process should be carried out without stifling people's views.
Obama, who has extended an offer of friendship to Iran, also said that he would continue to pursue his goal of engaging Tehran in diplomacy.
"I am deeply troubled by the violence I have been seeing on television," Obama told newsmen at a press conference. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi also attended the press meet.
"I think the democratic process -- free speech, ability of people to peacefully dissent -- all those are universal values and need to be respected. Whenever I see violence perpetrated on people who are peacefully dissenting, and whenever the American people see that, I think they are, rightfully, troubled," Obama said.
On the post-election developments in Iran, Obama said the Iranian government has agreed to look into allegations of irregularities and insisted that the people's voices should be "heard and respected."
"I think its important that, moving forward, whatever investigations take place are done in a way that is not resulting in bloodshed and is not resulting in people being stifled in expressing their views," he said.
"What I can say is there appears to be a sense on the part of people who were so hopeful and so engaged and so committed to democracy who now feel betrayed," Obama said.
"Particularly to the youth of Iran, I want them to know that we in the US do not want to make any decisions for the Iranians, but we do believe that the Iranian people and their voices should be heard and respected," Obama said.
However, Obama said use of tough, hard-headed diplomacy is critical when it comes to pursuing US' national security interests, specifically, making sure there is no nuclear arms race in Middle East triggered by Iran obtaining an atomic weapon and making sure that Iran is not exporting terrorist activity.
"We will continue to pursue a tough, direct dialogue between our two countries, and we'll see where it takes us," Obama said.
"But even as we do so, I think it would be wrong for me to be silent about what we have seen on television over the last few days. What I would say to those people... I would say world is watching and inspired by their participation, regardless of what the ultimate outcome of the election was".
