[AdmSmith]

http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=2557

Iran Focus

Tehran, Jun. 22 One of Iran's state-run news agencies announced the results of a pre-election poll for the election run-off due on Friday between frontrunner Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and contender Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, showing the latter had greater support.

According to the poll, 47.79 percent supported Ahmadinejad, the ultra-conservative appointed mayor of Tehran, while only 35.73 percent supported Rafsanjani, a hard-line cleric and former President.

A separate poll conducted by the state broadcasting organ found that 43.56 percent of prospective voters favoured Ahmadinejad and 36.50 favoured Rafsanjani.

State-run polls are rarely accurate and tend not to report on the level of voter apathy.

[AdmSmith]

In a country with 15 per cent inflation, 12 per cent unemployment and gross domestic capital per head of $2,000, many people resent the alleged opulence of Mr Rafsanjani and his family, they will instead vote for the Islamic socialist
Ahmadinejad.

The hardliners in the Abadgaran are socially conservative, but far to the left on economic policy, supporting, for example, government subsidies to keep prices down for different products. More of the same and a recipe for a coming disaster.

[nuconvert]

And releasing these numbers will further frighten people into voting for Rafsanjani.