Khamenei calls Bush defeat a victory for Iran

[Ron Burgundy]

Reuters - Iran's most powerful leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Friday called U.S. President George W. Bush's defeat in the congressional elections an "obvious victory" for the Iranian nation.

"This issue (the elections) is not a purely domestic issue for America, but it is the defeat of Bush's hawkish policies in the world," Khamenei said in remarks reported by Iran's student news agency ISNA on Friday.

"Since Washington's hostile and hawkish policies have always been against the Iranian nation, this defeat is actually an obvious victory for the Iranian nation."

The Democrats wrested control of both houses of Congress from the Republicans in this week's mid-term elections, partly because of voter concern over the war in Iraq.

Khamenei condemned Israel for its artillery attack on Wednesday on the Gazan town of Beit Hanoun which killed 18 civilians, and also the "silence" of Western nations over "this great oppression."

"The Zionist regime which ended its 50 years of military glory in Lebanon is taking revenge for its defeat on the Palestinian people," Khamenei said. "The daily crimes by the savage Zionists in Gaza once more prove that holding talks with this occupying regime is of no use."

Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas claimed victory in their war against Israel in July and August. Hezbollah is popular with Lebanon's large Shi'ite Muslim community and is supported by Syria and Iran.