Conservative backlash against Ahmadinejad?

[Kitsunegari]

Seems like Khamenei and co are trying to make sure his influence doesn't extend past 2013 and the end of his last term.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has suffered a fresh setback in run-off parliamentary polls. Mr Ahmadinejad's supporters won only 13 of the 65 seats up for election in Friday's vote, further reducing his power base in the 290-seat parliament.
Conservative supporters of the Supreme Leader had already won an outright majority in March's first round.
Iran's parliament lacks executive power but plays a part in choosing next year's presidential contenders.
Mr Ahmadinejad's influence has been falling since he fell out of favour with the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, last year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17969170

[s.rwitt]

Well, that's not good.

[Poet]

Well, that's not good.

Why? I thought you hate Ahmadinijad? He is going, what's bad?

[DarthLazy]

Why? I thought you hate Ahmadinijad? He is going, what's bad?

Ahmedinejad the Great > Supreme Leader Khameni

[Menelik_I]

Can't both sides lose somehow ?

I would like myself some green revolution in my Iranian mess.

[Babur]

Not surprised by this, Ahmadinejad has some rather unusual views particularly since he claims to be in contact with the Mahdi which has aroused considerable suspicion by some conservatives in Iran:

http://www.meforum.org/1985/ahmadinejad-and-the-mahdi

[Menelik_I]

Not surprised by this, Ahmadinejad has some rather unusual views particularly since he claims to be in contact with the Mahdi which has aroused considerable suspicion by some conservatives in Iran:

http://www.meforum.org/1985/ahmadinejad-and-the-mahdi

I am reassured that other Ayatollahs took time from their own insanity to realize that ...

[hellheaven1987]

Well, the cycle of Ahmadinejad would just continue cycling since his class represents the poor level in Iran.

[The Noble Lord]

Well, the cycle of Ahmadinejad would just continue cycling since his class represents the poor level in Iran.

Well he still has popular support and can mobilize masses of the rural poor and urban proletariat. It's very much too early to write him off and to say he is a candidate of yesterday.

[Babur]

Well he still has popular support and can mobilize masses of the rural poor and urban proletariat.

He was initially popular due to his claim to be championing the cause of the poor, but it is difficult to tell exactly how popular he is due to a lack of independent poll since 2009.

[The Noble Lord]

He was initially popular due to his claim to be championing the cause of the poor, but it is difficult to tell exactly how popular he is due to a lack of independent poll since 2009.

Judging by the latest reports that I saw, he still commands the streets and can have masses out onto the streets to support him if the need arises! Same thing happened in 2009 I believe.

[Babur]

Judging by the latest reports that I saw, he still commands the streets and can have masses out onto the streets to support him if the need arises! Same thing happened in 2009 I believe.

But that "command of the streets" is due instead to the basij which attack anyone who protests

[Armenum]

I believe Ali Larijani is favoured to replace Ahamdinejad. There are other reasons for Ahmadinejad having bad relations with Ayatollah, mainly the conflict between his favoured adviser and the Aytaollah. They also don't want him emphasising Persian nationalism.

[Sadreddine]

Not surprising, he had a hot dispute a few weeks ago when summoned by the Majlis. His answers and general attitude were quite aggressive if you ask me, although I liked some of his views, quite moderate and balanced.

[Menelik_I]

Not surprising, he had a hot dispute a few weeks ago when summoned by the Majlis. His answers and general attitude were quite aggressive if you ask me, although I liked some of his views, quite moderate and balanced.

Of course

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Babur]

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

He may have Jewish roots too, which would reflect badly on his Holocaust denial

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...wish-past.html

[Menelik_I]

He may have Jewish roots too, which would reflect badly on his Holocaust denial

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...wish-past.html

That would be the biggest Irony ever

Ahmadinejad is only Moderate if someone is more mad than him, and even then it still makes him a nutter.

While Ahmadinejad might have public support, his willingness to crack on down on the Green movement shows that control of the police is more important than his vote share.

[Col. Tartleton]

That would be the biggest Irony ever

It's not ironic, it makes complete sense. He has to play up his holocaust denial and anti Israeli stance because his family were Jewish converts to Islam. Again, he's actually a moderate. But when you want to govern on the vote of red necks you've got to appeal to rednecks. Same way Obama has to play up his "I will you up Iran" game to appease the hawks.

Ahmadinejad is only Moderate if someone is more mad than him, and even then it still makes him a nutter.

He's moderate to the vast majority of the Iranian people. Who have decided to vote in even more extreme elements of the Iranian government to power.

While Ahmadinejad might have public support, his willingness to crack on down on the Green movement shows that control of the police is more important than his vote share.

Protests in Iran are one crowd yelling "Death to the Dictator!" vs another yelling "Death to America!" I don't know, that's probably not what the government want to here. You have two mobs which want to attack each other and one wants to attack you the government official. In order to diffuse the situation you arrest the ones who A. Like you. or B. Want to kill you...

It's not America, Iranian freedom of Speech is at best a affair.

However as BarnabyJones has brought up I'm kind of worried what's so terrible going on that we're basically cooperating with Iran behind the scenes... It's got to be the economy. Are the top dogs accepting a Western collapse and planning for post collapse?

God damn you Ephialtes!

[Heinz Guderian]

Haha, Memritv. Good one.

[Sadreddine]

How is that image from an (Israeli based) MEMRI translation from a 2006 speech related to what I just said?

Not surprising, he had a hot dispute a few weeks ago when summoned by the Majlis. His answers and general attitude were quite aggressive if you ask me, although I liked some of his views, quite moderate and balanced.

Particularly, I meant his view on some hijab controversy. But then, you had to post some unrelated propaganda piece just because. Hardly surprising though.