Iran: Bush Will Be Tried on Atrocities

TEHRAN, -- US President George W. Bush failed and defeated in his Middle East plan and would one day stand trial for "atrocities" in Iraq, Iran's Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Friday.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remark in his second sermon to this week's Friday prayers at Tehran University on the second day of the fasting month of Ramadhan.

"Today the Americans are condemned by the public opinion of the Islamic nation and they are hated," the leader told thousands of worshippers.

"I have a firm belief that one day this current US president and the American officials will be tried in a fair international supreme court for catastrophes and atrocities committed in Iraq," he said.

"US Administration will have to answer for why they don't end occupation of Iraq and why waves of terrorism and insurgency have overwhelmed the country he added. "

"It will not be like this forever and one day they will be stopped as happened to Hitler, Saddam and certain other European leaders."

Ayatollah Khamenei said that the US invaded Iraq in 2003 to execute the Middle East plan that would be "based around" Israel- Iran's archenemy- and aimed at weakening Islamic system in Iran.

The Leader described the recent congressional testimony of the top U.S. officials in Iraq as a sign of weakness and the failure of American policy in the war torn country.

"More than four years have passed since the occupation of Iraq and today everyone knows that America has failed and is frantically looking for a way out,'' he said.

"Today we are in a better political position compared to four to five years ago,'' he said."We have moved forward economically and the spiritual preparedness and happiness of our nation has improved.''

"The US beat down in their objective in the Middle East and were failed in their ultimate aim for the Islamic Republic of Iran," said the leader.

Ayatollah Khamenei brushed off the notion that the United States could now threaten the Islamic Republic.

"Thanks to God, we are climbing the ladder of success... This shows the complete defeat of United States in weakening Iran," he said.

"A nation like ours, without an atomic bomb and not as wealthy as these other powerful governments, has foiled a whole series of their conspiracies and forced them to give up and withdraw,'' said the leader.