Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday said his US counterpart Barack Obama would find it hard to deliver his much-promised change due to "Zionist" pressure, Mehr news agency reported.
Speaking by telephone to Tehran's close ally President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, the hardline Iranian leader said the "US president came to power by campaigning under the slogan of change, but I find it remote that the Zionist leaders (Israeli officials) will allow him to do his job," the report said.
Tehran does not recognise Israel and the Iranian president has sparked global outrage for his hardline anti-Israeli stance.
Ahmadinejad's latest comment came a day after he said that Tehran was prepared to talk to Washington on the basis of mutual respect and equality.
His readiness to talk was a reaction to Obama's comment that in the coming months Washington would be ready to hold "face-to-face" talks with Tehran.