U.S. supports "peaceful" justice in Iran: Obama

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WASHINGTON, June 19 (Xinhua) -- The United States supports Iranians to seek "peaceful" justice, President Barack Obama said on Friday, addressing to the rioting in Iran's post-elections.

"We stand behind those who are seeking justice in a peaceful way," Obama said in an interview with CBS News.

Making comment on the statement by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei about demonstrations against the "frauds" in the recent presidential election, Obama said "I'm very concerned based on some of the tenor and tone of the statements that have been made, that the government of Iran recognize that the world is watching."

"And how they approach and deal with people who

are, through peaceful means, trying to be heard will, I think, send a pretty clear signal to the international community about what Iran is, and is not," he said.

Addressing the Friday prayers congregation on Tehran University campus, Khamenei said the Iranian nation needs calm and patience. And he ruled out any vote rigging in the recent presidential election.

"Iran's laws do not allow any cheating," Khamenei said. "How could it be possible to have such a vote-rigging with a margin of 11 million votes?"

"It's wrong to use street protests as a pressure tool," the Iranian supreme leader said, warning that "they will be responsible for any consequences of violence and chaos."

Obama and his senior aides shunned direct comment on Iran's latest elections which was criticized by opposition parties as fraud.

"It's not productive given the history of U.S.-Iranian relations to be seen as meddling," Obama told reporters at the White House on Tuesday.

Supporters of Iran's defeated presidential election candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi have been protesting against the election result since it was announced on Saturday. Some protesters, who rejected the election as fraudulent, clashed with anti-riot police in Tehran.

Khamenei has ordered the Guardian Council to investigate the claims of fraud in the recent presidential elections.