Iran college asks Bush to speak

An Iranian university has invited US leader George W Bush to speak following his Iranian counterpart's hostile reception at a US college last week.

"We're not taking it too seriously," said a White House spokeswoman.

She said Mr Bush might have considered the invitation if Iran allowed freedom of expression, did not have nuclear ambitions, and did not threaten Israel.

Columbia University's head last week introduced Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a "petty and cruel dictator".

The head of Ferdowsi University in Iran's second city of Mashhad - one of the country's oldest universities - said Mr Bush could answer students' questions about the Holocaust, terrorism and human rights.