In reversal, Iran conservatives support Ahmadinejad reelection
Initially criticized him for sending letter to Obama
TEHRAN - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad received praise from Iran's reformist politicians and withering criticism from its conservatives after he sent Barack Obama a letter last week congratulating him on winning the American presidential race.
But in a sign that conservatives fear their attacks might inadvertently strengthen a possible reformist candidate in Iran's own presidential vote in June, their criticism has quickly shifted to early support for Ahmadinejad's reelection.
The potential opponent is moderate former President Mohammed Khatami. He has not announced his candidacy, but is under pressure from his political allies to run.
On Friday, Obama offered a public reaction to the letter in his first postelection news conference, saying that he would review it and respond appropriately. But he also said Iran's "support for terrorist organizations has to cease" and its suspected development of nuclear weapons was not acceptable.
On Saturday, reformist politicians offered praise for Ahmadinejad's outreach. The letter "presented a humane, reasonable, and peace-seeking image of Iran," according to the daily Etemad.
But conservative members of Parliament and newspapers launched attacks.
The hard-line Jomhuri Islami newspaper, in an editorial, said that initiating contact with the United States was among the responsibilities of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme religious leader, and not of Ahmadinejad. Relations ruptured in 1979, after the Islamic Revolution in February and the takeover of the American Embassy in Tehran by hard-line students in November.
The speaker of Parliament, Ali Larijani, referred to Obama's noncommittal response and said the United States "was not moving in the right direction" for improving relations.
Ahmad Tavakoli, a conservative member of Parliament, released a public letter, saying Ahmadinejad's unilateral efforts had been met with "arrogant responses" and did not serve the country's dignity.
But by Sunday, the criticism had evaporated, and some conservative politicians had begun to condone the letter.
Another conservative member of Parliament, Mehdi Koochakzadeh, said Sunday night that Ahmadinejad's letter was "for the expedience of the regime and with the approval of the supreme leader," according to the Alef website, which is run by Tavakoli.
In addition, an editorial in the daily Kayhan, a leading conservative newspaper, said that Ahmadinejad was the "most qualified candidate" for the presidential race despite the criticisms of him.
It argued that Ahmadinejad's achievements were more significant than his failures.
In what appeared to be another signal of easing pressures on Ahmadinejad, several members of Parliament have indicated that they would vote for his nominee to fill the post of interior minister.
Parliament fired Interior Minister Ali Kordan last week for lying about a fake honorary doctorate he said he had received from Oxford University. 