Free Republic

Western Nations Condemn Iran Vote Outcome Saturday June 25, 2005 By BETH GARDINER Associated Press Writer LONDON (AP) - Governments of Muslim countries offered cautious congratulations in response to Iran's presidential election, while several Western countries Saturday sharply criticized a vote they said showed ``serious deficiencies.'' Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the conservative mayor of Tehran, defeated his relatively moderate rival and was declared Iran's next president. His triumph extends the conservatives' control in Iran at a time when the nation's nuclear program faces increasing international scrutiny. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said many candidates were excluded and there were widespread complaints that...

Iran Reform Leader Urges Support for Rafsanjani in Second Vote Round By Gary Thomas /Tehran 19 June 2005 A leading reformer in Iran has called on those voters who boycotted Friday's election to vote in the runoff race. The runoff pits a moderate former president against a hard-line conservative. Breaking his silence about the election, human rights activist Emadeddin Baghi called on reformists Sunday to, as he put it, "hold their noses" and vote for former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Mr. Baghi said those members of Iran's splintered reform movement who boycotted the election should now unite behind Mr....