Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Jun. 25 Defeated presidential contender Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani today lashed out at state institutions for illegally aiding his rival Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to win the elections.
In a statement, the former two-term President said, I do not intend to present a complaint to the arbiters [Guardian Council”>, who have shown that they cannot and do not want to resolve it. Iran Focus
Tehran, Iran, Jun. 25 Defeated presidential contender Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani today lashed out at state institutions for illegally aiding his rival Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to win the elections.
In a statement, the former two-term President said, I do not intend to present a complaint to the arbiters [Guardian Council”>, who have shown that they cannot and do not want to resolve it.
The Guardian Council, the highest vetting organ of the clerical establishment, which oversaw the election results has been accused by other defeated presidential hopefuls of mass vote-rigging.
Rafsanjani accused state institutions of using all available means in an organised way and illegally interfering in the elections.
Simon Bailey of the London-based Gulf Intelligence Monitor said in a telephone interview, Rafsanjanis feud with [Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali”> Khamenei is definitely getting fiercer. The two have been long-time rivals in certain respects. Khamenei never wanted Rafsanjani to stand for President. Unlike the one thousand disqualified candidates, Khamenei could not prevent Rafsanjani from standing on the grounds that he was not fit. Rafsanjani was himself one of the clerics who approved Khamenei as Supreme Leader.
Instead Khameneis strategy was to let him participate and then disgrace him in the polls, just as he did five years ago in Tehrans municipal elections, Bailey added.
Rafsanjani claimed in his statement that his opponents had spent hundreds of millions on trying to disrepute him.
The 70-year-old cleric also stated that polls had been rigged by his opponents, a charge which he faces as well.
