Opponents of Ahmadinejad Take Lead in Iran Elections
Monday, December 18, 2006
AP.


TEHRAN, Iran — Opponents of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took an early lead in key races in Iran's local elections, according to partial results announced Monday, with moderate conservatives winning control of councils across the country.

If the final results hold -- especially in the bellwether capital, Tehran -- it will be an embarrassment to Ahmadinejad, whose anti-Israeli rhetoric and unyielding position on Iran's nuclear program have provoked condemnation in the West and moves toward sanctions at the U.N. Security Council.

A freelance Iranian journalist of reformist sympathies, Iraj Jamshidi, described the vote as "a blow to Ahmadinejad," who was elected in June 2005.

"After a year, Iranians have seen the consequences of the extremist policies employed by Ahmadinejad. Now, they have said a big 'no' to him," said Jamshidi.




IMO: Personally I have many Persian friends who feel its time for Iran to rejoin the civilised world. But I fear as long as the "supreme leader" is a religious zealot, elections of any kind are MUTE.