Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has strongly criticized President Bush for accusing Iran of being part of an "axis of evil" during his State of the Union address Tuesday.

The Ayatollah was speaking Thursday to participants in a conference supporting the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation. Ayatollah Khamenei said Mr. Bush was talking like a person who is "thirsty for blood." But he said Iran is "honored" to be the target of the wrath and anger of the United States, which he called "the most hated Satan in the world."

Meanwhile, Iran's state media quoted President Khatami as saying the U.S. president spoke "arrogantly, humiliatingly, aggressively - and in a way that is insulting to the Iranian nation."

President Bush singled out Iran, Iraq and North Korea as "axis of evil" that sponsors terrorism and seek weapons of mass destruction. Iranian radio reported that to protest the U.S. stance toward Iran and the "humiliating" attitude of the U.S. State Department, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi has canceled plans to attend the annual World Economic Forum in New York, which opens Thursday.

Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.

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