Iranian and U.S. voters in the same boat against ‘Authoritarian and inefficient’ governments

In an election of local council races, it is appearing more and more like Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s party will be suffering losses.

From the Associated Press:

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad suffered an embarrassing blow in local council races, according to partial election results Monday, in voting viewed as a sign of public discontent with his hard-line stance.

The balloting represented a partial comeback for opponents of Ahmadinejad, whose Islamic government’s policies have fueled fights with the West and brought Iran closer to U.N. sanctions.

Former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, a relative moderate, polled the most votes of any Tehran candidate to win re-election to a key assembly post.

The biggest victory was for “moderate conservatives,” supporters of Iran’s cleric-led power structure who are angry at Ahmadinejad, saying he has needlessly provoked the West with harsh rhetoric and has failed to fix the country’s faltering economy.

Here is the money quote, however:

“Ahmadinejad’s list has suffered a decisive defeat nationwide,” said the Islamic Iran Participation Front, the largest reformist party. “It is a big no to the government’s authoritarian and inefficient methods.”

Sadly, they will likely get the same end result as American citizens appear to be getting: While the Iranian public votes for change and peace, don’t expect any change in Ahmadinejad’s rhetoric as he pushes his nation to the brink.

Authoritarian and inefficient methods. Iranian and American citizens are in the same fight, it seems. And with no end in sight.

–WKW