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Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was sworn in as Iran’s President by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on August 5. Ahmadinejad was re-elected president in the June 12 election. Khamenei termed the June 12 elections “glorious” which indicated “the people’s decisive and unprecedented vote1 …” The election results had resulted in widespread protests and had split Iran’s clerical leadership. All three of Ahmadinejad’s electoral challengers boycotted the swearing in ceremony.
In his inaugural address, Mr. Ahmadinejad emphasized his plans to improve the faltering economy and criticized Western countries for having “not recognized the elections or extended their congratulations.” He added that these nations “do not respect the rights of other nations, yet they recognize themselves as the yardstick for democracy2.”
The deputy commander of the Iranian army, Gen. Massoud Jazayeri warned that the next ‘coup’ against Iran would be via the foreign media. He noted that after the failure of the ‘Green Coup’, “foreign elements and their agents inside have started programming the next phase of the coup against Iran.” The ‘Green Coup’ refers to the reform movement of opposition leader Mir- Hossein Moussavi who had chosen the colour as symbol for change in Iran3.
- 1. “Leader endorses Ahmadinejad presidency,” Tehran Times, August 4, 2009, at http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=200154
- 2. “Ahmadinejad sworn in amid crisis,” Khaleej Times, August, 5, 2009, at http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2...
- 3. “Next ‘coup’ against Iran via foreign media,” Khaleej Times, August 9, 2009, at http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2...