(Reuters) - The United States expects Iran to take advantage of unrest in the Middle East, deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said on Monday.
"We do expect that Iran will try to take advantage of events," Rhodes said. "We always monitor very closely."
Rhodes said Iran had shown an "extraordinary level of hypocrisy" by expressing support for reform movements in the Arab world while engaging in a "brutal crackdown" on its own protesters.
U.S. military air strikes to contain Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi have overshadowed a Latin America tour by U.S. President Barack Obama, who is seeking closer ties with fast-growing economies the region. Obama was in Chile for the second leg of his regional trip.
