[Los Angeles Times] Borzou Daragahi - A group of 60 Iranian economists Sunday condemned the economic policies of President Ahmadinejad and contradicted recent boasts by Tehran leaders who said the Islamic Republic has been successfully weathering the global financial crisis. Their letter and its publication suggest that Ahmadinejad faces growing discontent among Tehran's elite political circles ahead of the presidential election in June. Oil prices have collapsed from a high of $147 a barrel in July to around $60 on worries about declining future demand. Meanwhile, Iranian government expenditures have ballooned since Ahmadinejad took office in 2005 and launched a series of populist economic policies meant to curry favor with voters.
2008-11-10 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive