Associated Press Writer= TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The plain pro-reform runner accused hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of driving Iran toward "dictatorship" and hurting its rank in the era by questioning the Holocaust, during a unequalled and unprecedentedly harsh appointment contention Wednesday. During the 90-minute debate, televised live, Ahmadinejad and the opposition Mir Hossein Mousavi traded unrestrained and open criticisms that are unheard of in Iranian politics, where clashes are all things considered hidden in elliptical, respectful language. Often, Mousavi appeared positive and time and kept Ahmadinejad off equalize with sweeping charges about Iran's internal troubles and its shortcomings on the or oecumenic stage. "Your programme (of government) positively leads to dictatorship," Mousavi told Ahmadinejad, who fidgeted in his chairman often through the argument and gave snotty smiles as Mousavi spoke.
Mousavi also said Iran has been "downgraded" in the eyes of set by Ahmadinejad's firebrand vogue and statements. Just hours earlier, Ahmadinejad called the Holocaust a "big deception" and claimed Israel uses it to rule ecumenic support. "Our nation's self-confidence has been harmed. We've been degraded.
There has been increasing edginess (under Ahmadinejad). … Is it in our interests?" Mousavi said. Mousavi and Ahmadinejad are in an increasingly tiddly get a move on heading into the June 12 election. The sequela will set the spirit of Iran's policies on decisive issues forward such as its standoff with the West over its atomic ambitions and the chance of groundbreaking talks with Washington after a nearly 30-year prudent freeze.
Mousavi and the reformers are in favor of better ties with the West and Washington and greater freedoms at home, while Ahmadinejad has captivated a tougher carriage widely and domestically. In Paris, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told Iran's distant minister, Manoucher Mottaki, that Iran faces greater isolation if it refuses to parley over its nuclear program. Sarkozy also denounced Ahmadinejad's questioning of the Holocaust as "shocking.
" Ahmadinejad's literary ask for re-election has been burdened by Iran's stumbling conservation and accusations from rivals that his confrontational policies have fist Iran with few friends in the world. Iran has not held a presidential question since 1997, when four candidates spoke in a rather staid, deferential affair. In Wednesday's debate, Ahmadinejad and Mousavi sat face-to-face across a table, while a referee sitting between them said little. At times Ahmadinejad shouted and interrupted Mousavi, who did not muster his voice.
Ahmadinejad accused two c whilom presidents — Mohammad Khatami and Hashem Rafsanjani — of joining forces with Mousavi to engage in a throw of "lies" against him. "I'm not fighting against one candidate," Ahmadinejad complained during the debate. "I'm prominence against a bloc led by Rafsanjani and with the backing of Mousavi and Khatami.
" Ahmadinejad also named a covet file of earlier top-notch officials he accused of "corruption," including Rafsanjani and his sons — a rather unbridled move, since Iranian politicians often escape naming names undeviatingly in their attacks on opponents. Rafsanjani is a sturdy upo a rely in Iran's episcopal directorship and is seen as an forceful factious insider. He has not publicly backed any candidate, but he is believed to advance anyone against Ahmadinejad.
Also in the line are another reformist — departed Upper and Lower House rabble-rouser Mahdi Karroubi — and hard-liner Mohsen Rezaei, a old commander of the effectual Revolutionary Guard. Mousavi, in turn, charged that Ahmadinejad's inappropriate scheme suffered from "adventurism, instability, emotionalism, superstition, and extremism." He also called Ahmadinejad an "odd" individual to subject to.
After the debate, supporters of both candidates took to the streets near the state-TV construction where it took place. "God is great" and "Ahmadinejad is our love" the president's backers shouted, while Mousavi supporters chanted, "Ahmadi-bye-bye." Leading factional analyst Saeed Leilaz said the discussion would further polarize Iran.
"Ahmadinejad's vocabulary is derive a mortal who is anxious in a quagmire and resorts to anything to survive," he said. Ahmadinejad can still deem on unwavering grant from the ruling theocracy, which has the unalterable imply in all noted behaviour matters and is competent of mobilizing millions of votes. But Mousavi's "green movement" — named for the color adopted as a crusade coat of arms — appears to be gaining life-and-death dirt all puerile voters as the contest moves into the end week. Shortly before the debate, Ahmadinejad told a aggregation of worldwide scholars that Israel uses the "big hoax of the Holocaust" to move further allies in the West. In April at the U.N.'s meeting against racism in Geneva, the Iranian president accused the West of using the Holocaust as a "pretext" for combativeness against Palestinians, provoking walkouts by delegates.
Ahmadinejad said in 2005 that Israel should be "wiped off the map" and later called the Holocaust a "myth." --- Associated Press Writer Laurent Pirot in Paris contributed to this report.
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