Ahmadinejad defends his policies in TV debate with his presidential candidate rival Mousavi

Iran's Ahmadinejad defends his policies in TV debate

2009-06-04 05:31:11

·Ahmadinejad defended his gov't's foreign and domestic policies in debate with Mousavi. ·Ahmadinejad has been criticized for the country's soaring inflation and social problems. ·Mousavi accused Ahmadinejad gov't of undermining the dignity of the Iranian nation.

TEHRAN, June 3 (Xinhua) --

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday defended his government's foreign and domestic policies in a TV debate with presidential hopeful -- former Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi.

"During this four years, great dignity has been established in both outside and inside Iran," Ahamdinejad said at the beginning of the debate broadcasted live by the state-run television.

"The Iranian nation has made itself an adorable image in the international community," he said.

Ahmadinejad has been criticized by reformists and some conservatives for the country's soaring inflation and social problems such as high unemployment rate and housing shortage.

He has also been confronted with sharp criticism towards his hardline approaches which resulted in Iran's gloomy image.

"The social problems are not formed in just four years," he said, adding that unemployment and economic problems are not new issues in his government.

Mousavi, who is considered as the incumbent president's main challenger in the upcoming June 12 election, accused the Ahmadinejad government of undermining the dignity of the Iranian nation.

"It has created heavy damages on us," Mousavi said, "the tensions between Iran and other countries are increasing ... is itin our interests?"

"The mismanagement of the country forced me to come to the stage," he said, adding that Iran must change its foreign policies from the way of adventurism, instability, exhibitionism and extremism to the way of moderation.

Mousavi served as prime minister of Iran from 1981 to 1989. He has called for freedom and fairness in the upcoming presidential election in his election campaign and has expressed dissatisfaction with Iran's media in campaign activities.

Reformist former Parliament Speaker Mehdi Karroubi and conservative former Revolutionary Guards Chief Mohsen Rezaei on Tuesday began the country's unprecedented face-to-face TV debate series among presidential candidates.

Iran's presidential hopeful says relations with U.S. not taboo

2009-06-03 23:47:51

TEHRAN, June 3 (Xinhua) --

Iran's reformist presidential hopeful Mir-Hossein Mousavi said in a campaign program that "Iran's relations with the United States is not a taboo," the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Wednesday.

Referring to the change of rhetoric in the U.S. administration, Mousavi said that "If this different literature is put into practice, then the relations with the United States will not be a taboo."

Expressing hope to do the problems between the two counties, he

said, "The United States is a country with which we have had complex and age-old problems. The problems which had reached their

peak prior to (President Barack) Obama's era."

On Friday, Mousavi also said at a press conference that holding

talks with the United States is not a "taboo" for him.

"There is a possibility (for the relations) to become better, but (Iran's) relation with the United States is complicated and it takes time," he said.

He urged the United States to show more positive signs such as ending sanctions and removing obstacles in buying airplanes.

The United States and other Western countries claim that Iran intends to secretly develop nuclear weapons. The UN Security Council also requires Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment activity.

Iran, however, insists that its nuclear plan is only for peaceful purposes, vowing to continue its uranium enrichment activity despite pressure and sanctions from Western countries.

Mousavi, who claimed to represent the reformist camp, is a politician, painter and architect, and was prime minister of Iran from 1981 to 1989 under the then President Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

He was the last prime minister of Iran before a change in the constitution which removed the post.

Mousavi and another reformist candidate, former Parliament Speaker Mehdi Karroubi, and former Revolutionary Guards chief Mohsen Rezaei, a moderate conservative, are vying with the incumbent hard-liner President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for the next presidency.

The 10th presidential election in Iran is slated for June 12.

Editor: Yan

Ahmadinejad: Rivals' accusations all lies to control the country

2009-06-03 20:12:18

TEHRAN, June 3 (Xinhua) --

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that his rivals' accusations against him are all lies to take control of the country, local Press TV reported on Wednesday.

"They (the rivals) want a small group to take up the country's leading posts and create a monopoly over them... That is what all these lies, insults and accusations about," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying.

"A closed circle that has tried to turn the clock back during the past four years, are now doing all they can to realize their goal ahead of the elections," Ahmadinejad told a group of his supporters here on Tuesday, according to Press TV.

Three qualified candidates for presidency, as the rivals for the incumbent president, have bitterly criticized Ahmadinejad's foreign policies and economic policies, including "the 25 percent inflation rate, rapid decline in average income and high rate of unemployment."

Two reformist candidates -- former Parliament Speaker Mehdi Karroubi and former prime minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi -- and the conservative former Revolutionary Guards chief Mohsen Rezaei along with Ahmadinejad will contest in Iran's presidential race slated for June 12.

Editor: Xiong Tong

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