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International Pressure Emboldens Tehran's Domestic Critics

[Washington Institute for Near East Policy] Mehdi Khalaji - Prior to the UN Security Council sanctions resolution, Iranian reformers voiced only sporadic opposition against the country's nuclear policy. They have now stepped up their rhetoric. More significantly, conservatives are also speaking up. Hamshahri - the most widely read newspaper in Iran, whose director, Hossein Entezami, is a member of Iran's nuclear negotiating team - recently ran an article complaining, "At the very moment when the nuclear issue was about to move away from the UN Security Council, the fiery speeches of the president have resulted in the adoption of two resolutions [against Iran]." The lead editorial in the January 9 issue of Jomhuri Islami complained about Ahmadinejad's rhetoric: "The manner of publicizing the nuclear issue in your speeches is such which suggests to the audience that, Heaven forbid, you are giving so much prominence to the nuclear issue so that the problems of the government cannot be seen." Criticism of Ahmadinejad's failure to deliver on exaggerated promises is widely voiced by those who previously supported him, as are complaints about his high-handed manner. The writer is a Next Generation fellow at The Washington Institute.
2007-01-19 01:00:00
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