Iran and Iraq have rejected President Bush's description of them as part of an "axis of evil" that sponsors terrorism and seeks weapons of mass destruction.

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami called Tuesday's statement by Mr. Bush an "insult" to the Iranian people. Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi challenged Mr. Bush to prove his allegations, which he said amount to an interference in Iranian internal affairs.

Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan called the Bush statement "indecent." Another top Iraqi official charged that Mr. Bush's speech was part of a string of U.S. accusations to prepare public opinion for a new attack on Iraq.

The Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad rejected President's Bush description of them as terrorist groups. They said they are resisting Israeli occupation. Former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, who now heads a powerful state council, said he supports the position of the Palestinian organizations.

Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.

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