President Barack Obama's chief spokesman said Friday that a House-passed resolution condemning the Iranian election and the unrest that followed "is very consistent" with the message the White House has been sending this week.
But at the same time, Robert Gibbs denied at a White House briefing assertions by some Republicans that Obama has not spoken out fiercely enough.
"I think the president has been clear on what he believes ," he said. "And I will say, as the president has said, we're not going to be used as political foils and political footballs in a debate that is happening in Iran. There are many people in the leadership that would love us to get involved and would love to trot out the same old foils they've used for years. That's what they would love to do."
Nevertheless, he said that "obviously, we welcome the resolution."
"We can quibble on this. I think the president has been very clear on this," Gibbs said.
Obama has said he had deep concerns about the election and its aftermath and that he believes the voices of the Iranian people should be heard.
"He believes those who wish to have their voices heard should be able to do that without fear of violence," Gibbs said. "That is an important universal principle that should be upheld and I think he supports that."
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