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Awkward Political Kisses

At a ceremony certifying Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's second term yesterday, the president and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had an awkward interaction when Ahmaminejad leaned in to kiss Khamenei. Khamenei raised his hand, the two men exchanged a few words, and Ahmaminejad ended up kissing the Ayatollah's shoulder.

Cultural differences, bad timing, and plain poor judgment have contributed to some awkward political kisses over the years. Click through to see some examples of these less-than-graceful exchanges.

--Sharon Eliza Nichols

Photo courtesy of Reuters