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Iranians Vote Whether To Keep Hard-Line President

A recent heated televised debate between Iran's two leading presidential candidates and accusations of corruption by President Ahmadinejad toward leading clerics, have called into question whether the incumbent still has the backing of Iran's conservative political establishment.

by Karim Sadjadpour

published by

NPR's Morning Edition

on June 12, 2009

Source: NPR's Morning Edition

As Iranians head to the polls, it is unclear whether incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will retain leadership in Tehran. The conservative president faces a tough race against his main challenger, former prime minister Mir Hossein Mousavi. Key events in the last week, including a heated televised debate between the two candidates and accusations of corruption by Ahmadinejad toward leading clerics, have called into question whether the incumbent still has the backing of Iran's conservative political establishment.

As Karim Sadjadpour explains, "The Surpeme Leader has really associated himself with Ahamadinejad, but in the last weeks, especially the last week, Ahmadinejad has really alienated some of the elders of the revolution. It's going to be much more difficult for [Supreme Leader] Khamenei's support to make a huge difference this time around."

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