Ahmadinejad: Mideast upheaval will spread to West

Iranian president says demands for change will put an end to oppression of "arrogant powers"; condemns Libya's violence against protesters.

Ahmadinejad wants YOU 311 AP (photo credit: AP)
Ahmadinejad wants YOU 311 AP
(photo credit: AP)
TEHRAN, Iran— Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday warned that the wave of protests sweeping the Middle East will spread to Europe and North America.
Ahmadinejad stated that popular demands for change will put an end to the oppression of what he called "arrogant powers." Without singling out nations by name, he said similar uprisings will strike Europe and North America.
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Speaking on state TV Wednesday, the Iranian president also condemned Libya's use of force against demonstrators and urged Libyan leaders to give in to the demands of their people.
Iran's hard-line leaders have sought to claim some credit for the uprisings in Arab nations, saying the 1979 Islamic Revolution provided inspiration.
Iran brutally put down protests on its own streets after Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election in 2009.