Ahmadinejad to rival election candidates: "Stop criticizing me or you're gonna get it!!!"

Ahmadinejad warns rivals against smear ahead of election
2009-05-28 06:44

[link to english.eastday.com]

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday warned his rivals for the upcoming presidential election against resorting to "lies, insults and exaggerations."

With only half a month left to the June 12 polls, Ahmadinejad said that his rivals "have resorted to lies, insults and exaggerations in their presidential campaigns to smear his image ahead of the elections," Iran's English-language channel Press TV reported.

"The baseless claims that some of the candidates make against the government are an insult to the people's intelligence," Ahmadinejad said, adding that his election rivals were "crossing the line into insolence."

The incumbent President warned that he was running out of patience and was considering to take necessary action against their accusations.

"If the insults to the nation continue, the government will reconsider its approach," Ahmadinejad said.

The two reformist candidates -- former Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi and former Parliament Speaker Mehdi Karroubi -- and former Revolutionary Guards chief Mohsen Rezaei, a moderate conservative, are vying with Ahmadinejad for the next presidency.

Ahmadinejad has come under fire from all of the three rivals, mainly over his handling of the economy and foreign relations.

The two reformist candidates have vowed to bring more freedom to the Iranian society, improve its economy and pursue better relationship between Iran and the world.

Last Edited by Grizzled Old Goat on 05/28/2009 10:11 PM