by Alexander G Rubio
Fri Jun 24th, 2005 at 06:41:39 PM EST
Ultra-conservative Tehran mayor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad beat the more moderate conservative Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in the second round of Iran's presidential elections. This turn to a more hardline policy will doubtlessly ratchet up tension with the United States.
"This all but closes the door for a breakthrough in U.S.-Iran relations," said Karim Sadjadpour, Tehran-based analyst for the International Crisis Group. (...)
"I think Ahmadinejad is less amenable to compromise on the nuclear issue, but it is unclear how much influence he will have on it," said Sadjadpour.
(...)
"I vote for Ahmadinejad because he wants to cut the hands of those who are stealing the national wealth and he wants to fight poverty ... and discrimination," said Rahmatollah Izadpanah, 41.
In wealthier north Tehran, Rafsanjani voters said they feared Ahmadinejad would reverse modest reforms made under Khatami that allow women to dress in brighter, skimpier clothes and couples to fraternise in public without fear of arrest.
The middle east just got a whole lot more "interesting". It'll also be interesting to see what the oil markets make of this come monday.
Crossposted on Bitsofnews.com.
