Obama said Iran's leaders would be unable hide the "outrageous" behavior of clamping down violently on their people. "We see it and we condemn it," Obama said.

"The rights of the Iranian people to assemble, to speak freely, to have their voices heard, those are universal aspirations."

He added that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's chief rival, former prime minister Mir Hossein Mousavi, had "captured the imagination" of Iranians who want to open up to the West.

The US president made the comments in a joint White House appearance Friday with the German chancellor after the two had held private talks.

Obama went on to hail the Iranian people: "Their bravery in the face of brutality is a testament to their enduring pursuit of justice."

Will of the people

The Iranian leadership has mishandled the protests, the two leaders say

Merkel said on arrival in Washington that she was "shocked" to see how the Iranian government had been handling the peaceful protests.

"For our part, it is clear that we defend all peaceful demonstrations, that we want freedom of the press, and that it is necessary to respect the will of the people," she said.

Millions of Iranians accuse the government of fraud in the June 12 election which gave Ahmadinejad an overwhelming landslide victory, prompting protest demonstrations in which at least 17 people have been killed.

On Friday, a hard-line Iranian cleric called for the execution of leading "rioters" who have protested against the result of the presidential election.

"I want the judiciary to ... punish leading rioters firmly and without showing any mercy to teach everyone a lesson," Ahmad Khatami told worshippers at Tehran University.

Closer ties with Russia

Moscow's ties with Tehran could help solve nuclear issue, Merkel says

Merkel and Obama also spoke of how they are working to strengthen ties with Russia, which could prove vital if there is to ever be a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear question.

Obama, who will be heading to Moscow on July 6 told reporters that the US and Germany will need to work "with the Russian government on issues where we agree, and honestly confronting those areas where we disagree."

That includes working with the former Cold War enemy to reduce "our joint commitment to reducing our nuclear arsenal and strengthening the global nonproliferation regime."

Merkel said that Germany was very interested in seeing a very good relationship between the US and Russia.

She highlighted the important role Moscow could play in the current crisis over Iran's suspect nuclear program.

US climate catch-up

Renewable energy in Germany has impressed the US president

Obama also said Friday that European nations have moved faster than the United States on global warming and that he would like to see America play a greater leadership role in climate matters.

He said he hoped the United States would soon match Germany's commitment to tackling climate change, adding that he was "impressed" with Berlin's "foresight and commitment to clean energy."

"It is my hope that the United States will match that commitment today," Obama said as the US House of Representatives prepared to vote later in the afternoon on a landmark climate bill.

This is Merkel's first visit to the US since Obama took office, but it's the third time the two leaders have met for face-to-face talks.

Earlier, Merkel promised the US president her support in his international endeavors. She said that the US and Germany had a chance to set a new course in global politics during the Obama administration.

"I have observed, with great pleasure, how US President Barack Obama has opened doors in various areas," said Merkel during a visit to the Library of Congress, citing the Middle East Peace Process, Afghanistan, climate change and the economic crisis as examples. She emphasized that Obama could count on Germany and Europe for support.

"I want to stress that European citizens - and me personally as German Chancellor - have a fundamental interest in the success of policies like these; policies that move us forward."

mh/mrm/dpa/AP/Reuters



Editor: Trinity Hartman