Iran: Bloggers react to fiery presidential debate

Two Iranian presidential candidates, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and former Prime Minister Mir Hussein Mousavi, clashed during a fiery debate broadcast to a national television audience on Wednesday evening. Ahmadinejad charged that Mousavi is being supported by “corrupt” political personalities such as former president, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Mousavi countered that Ahmadinejad's ways have hurt Iran's image across the globe and could be a prelude to a dictatorship.

Nikahang Kosar, a leading cartoonist and blogger, shared his ideas on the debate in one cartoon.

Digital Kalashinkov, an Iranian blogger and journalist, has published a video of Ahmadinejad's supporters celebrating after the debate, chanting slogans against Rafsanjani, like “Down with ‘Akbar Shah'”.

Tribuneh Azad also published several photos where Ahmadinejad and Mousavi supporters celebrated their own favorite candidate's victory in the debate in Vali Asr Street in Tehran. The blogger observed [fa] that some of Ahmadinejad's supporters were waving Lebanese Hezbollah's flags.

HarfeHesabi reacts to Ahmadinejad's criticism of political personalities such as Rafsanjani. The blogger says [fa] either Ahmadinjad is the most anti-revolutionary president, or we simply didn't know the revolution was so dirty, if he talks about Rafsanjani and his sons, who have been friends of Iran's great leader for 50 years, in this way.

Jomhour writes that after the debate each side considered their favorite candidate the winner of the debate. The blogger suggests we should take in to consideration that winning a debate does not mean a candidate will the election. Jomhour writes that while some people may think a candidate lost because his tactic was to lie, he may in fact be attracting more votes.

Ali Eghbali writes [fa] that Ahmadinejad asked Mousavi to explain how Rafsanjani's dynasty became billonaires… Mousavi did not have an answer. The blogger adds that security forces should be careful to guard the public servant's [Ahmadinejad] life.

Mollah Hassani
writes [fa] that it is fortunate it's those responsible for the Islamic Republic who are saying such things. Imagine if a writer, student or journalist were to write what Ahmadinejad said yesterday, then he/she would be in an unimaginably terrible situation.

Mohammad Ali Abtahi, the former vice president, says [fa] what Ahmadinejad did during this debate was the death of morality, and he would do anything to get votes at any cost.

Herfeh Khbarngear (means “profession journalist”) writes [fa] that Mousavi was the only winner in this debate. The blogger admires the moment when Mousavi, by refering to Ahmadinejad's accusations, said to the public, I want to change what you just saw.

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