Obama comments on Iranian elections

At his late added Kids Tobacco Legislation remarks in the Rose Garden, President Obama unexpectedly took a question, thrown to him as he was walking away, about the Iranian elections.

Asked if he was watching the elections closely and how critical the process is to change, Mr Obama responded as follows..

"We are excited to see what appears to be a robust debate taking place in Iran. And obviously, after the speech that I made in Cairo, we tried to send a clear message that we think there's the possibility of change.

And, you know, ultimately the election is for the Iranians to decide. But just as has been true in Lebanon, what can be true in Iran, as well, is that you're seeing people looking at new possibilities.

And whoever ends up winning the election in Iran, the fact that there's been a robust debate hopefully will help advance our ability to engage them in new ways."