President Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the chaotic situation in Iran, climate change, the world economic crisis and the war in Afghanistan during an Oval Office meeting and lunch, the two told reporters yesterday.

The president intensified his criticism of Iran's crackdown on protesters challenging the June 12 election in which President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the landslide victor. Obama brushed aside Ahmadinejad's demand that he apologize for "interfering" in Iranian affairs with his escalating criticism and praised Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi as "a representative of many of those people who are on the streets and who have displayed extraordinary bravery and extraordinary courage."

The comments on Iran dominated the White House news conference, overshadowing other issues he and Merkel explored, including climate change, which happened to be the focus of lawmakers at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue yesterday.

With the House of Representatives debating an energy bill that Obama described as historic, Merkel -- whose country has been a leader in pursuing renewable energy sources -- said there "is indeed a sea change" in the U.S. government's approach to the issue.

"This points to the fact that the United States is very serious on climate," she told reporters.
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