TEHRAN: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said yesterday that US President George W Bush had been defeated in his Middle East plans and would one day stand trial for "atrocities" committed in Iraq. "Bush will one day be tried in court, just like deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, for his involvement in the Iraq tragedy.
"A day will come that the current US president and officials will be tried in an international supreme court for the catastrophes they caused in Iraq," he added, as he spoke to thousands of worshippers during the first Friday prayer of Ramadan.
Khamenei's remarks came a day after Bush once again accused Iran of undermining the Iraqi government.
He accused the US of invading Iraq in 2003 to execute a plan to create a Middle East that would be "based around" Iran's arch enemy Israel and aimed at weakening the region's Islamic system.
"America has failed in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine," Khamenei said, punctuating his sermon with shouts of "Death to America".
"The Americans were defeated in their aims in the Middle East and were defeated in their ultimate aim for the Islamic Republic of Iran.
"The Middle East plan was not achieved and they did not touch the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
"America's power in the region is waning ... they (US) are looking forward to pulling out of Iraq," Khamenei declared.