Ahmadinejad not likely to bow, may fight back The results are hard to compare with the outgoing parliament since Khamenei and Ahmadinejad loyalists were united in the 2008 elections, garnering about 70 percent of seats.But analysts said the combative Ahmadinejad, who is constitutionally barred from running for a third term, would not readily bow to the rout of his supporters and may fight back."Ahmadinejad's camp has not been demolished. We have to wait and see what happens after the new parliament convenes in June," said analyst Hamid Farahvashian. "The vote showed that there is a deepening rift between the ruling elites. It might emerge in the coming weeks."Ahmadinejad is likely to be summoned to an unprecedented hearing in the outgoing parliament by Friday to answer questions about his handling of the economy and foreign policy.Some critics say he has inflicted higher inflation on Iranians by slashing food and fuel subsidies and replacing them with cash handouts of about $38 a month per person.Parliament could impeach Ahmadinejad if his explanations are unconvincing, but Khamenei's green light would be needed.Analysts said Ahmadinejad is likely to survive his term - but as a lame duck president."The establishment is under Western pressure and does not want to look divided," said analyst Babak Sadeghi. "Ahmadinejad will finish his term as a weak executive."Under mounting Western pressure over its nuclear program and concerns that Israel might attack, Iran's clerical elite needed a high election turnout to shore up their legitimacy damaged since Ahmadinejad's 2009 re-election, in which fraud allegations triggered eight months of anti-government protests.Khamenei, 72, said a high turnout would be a message of defiance to "the arrogant powers bullying us", a reference to Western states and sanctions against Iran.State officials said the turnout was over 64 percent, higher than the 57 percent in the 2008 parliamentary vote.Absent from the vote were the two main opposition leaders. Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi, who ran for president in 2009, have been under house arrest for more than a year.
Khamenei allies rout Ahmadinejad in Iran election
Iranian supreme leader's acolytes expected to occupy over 3/4 of parliament; result likely to erode Ahmadinejad's authority.
Ahmadinejad not likely to bow, may fight back The results are hard to compare with the outgoing parliament since Khamenei and Ahmadinejad loyalists were united in the 2008 elections, garnering about 70 percent of seats.But analysts said the combative Ahmadinejad, who is constitutionally barred from running for a third term, would not readily bow to the rout of his supporters and may fight back."Ahmadinejad's camp has not been demolished. We have to wait and see what happens after the new parliament convenes in June," said analyst Hamid Farahvashian. "The vote showed that there is a deepening rift between the ruling elites. It might emerge in the coming weeks."Ahmadinejad is likely to be summoned to an unprecedented hearing in the outgoing parliament by Friday to answer questions about his handling of the economy and foreign policy.Some critics say he has inflicted higher inflation on Iranians by slashing food and fuel subsidies and replacing them with cash handouts of about $38 a month per person.Parliament could impeach Ahmadinejad if his explanations are unconvincing, but Khamenei's green light would be needed.Analysts said Ahmadinejad is likely to survive his term - but as a lame duck president."The establishment is under Western pressure and does not want to look divided," said analyst Babak Sadeghi. "Ahmadinejad will finish his term as a weak executive."Under mounting Western pressure over its nuclear program and concerns that Israel might attack, Iran's clerical elite needed a high election turnout to shore up their legitimacy damaged since Ahmadinejad's 2009 re-election, in which fraud allegations triggered eight months of anti-government protests.Khamenei, 72, said a high turnout would be a message of defiance to "the arrogant powers bullying us", a reference to Western states and sanctions against Iran.State officials said the turnout was over 64 percent, higher than the 57 percent in the 2008 parliamentary vote.Absent from the vote were the two main opposition leaders. Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi, who ran for president in 2009, have been under house arrest for more than a year.