Iran, Hamas term Obama Nobel premature

Iran: Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki considered Saturday as “too premature” the awarding of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to US president Barack Obama, view that is shared in the Middle East by political groups as Islamic Hamas.

“This decision was made hastily and the prize was awarded prematurely,” said the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, who asserted, however that his government “will support and welcome that step, if Obama helps promote peace and harmony among countries.”

To Mottaki, the appropriate moment to award this prize is when Palestinian rights are to be respected and US occupation forces are to be completely withdrawn from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also seemed surprised Friday by the news of the prize awarded to US President and said that he expected that the Nobel Peace Prize incites him to “act with the purpose of putting an end to injustice in the world.”

In this capital, the media highlighted that the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), which controls the Gaza Strip, considered as “undeserved” the prize that the Swedish Nobel Committee awarded to the White House’s tenant.

“He has done nothing to ensure justice for the sake of Arabian and Muslim causes”, said the spokesman of the group, distanced from the Palestinian government of Mahmoud Abbas that together with those from Qatar and Egypt passed on congratulations to Obama.

Teheran, Sunday Prensa Latina