(Xinhua) -- Iran's Interior Ministry on Thursday released the final result of the third local council election held last Friday, showing a brand-new political dimension since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took office in 2005. According to published figures, | Ahmadinejad's ultraconservatives have suffered a stinging defeat, while moderate conservatives and reformists grabbed most ballots in the election. It has been reported that the president's camp just won less than 20 percent of the total seats. |
At Tehran city council, moderate conservative Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf's camp won eight seats of 15, Ahmadinejad's followers two, reformers four and one for independent. Similar results were seen in the final results of some other major city councils. Ahmadinejad's followers won no seat in Shiraz, Bandar Abbas, Sari, Zanjan and Kerman.
In the poll of the Assembly of Experts which has the power to elect, dismiss Iran's highest authority and the supreme leader, Expediency Council Chairman and centrist Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani defeated Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi, who was widely recognized as Ahmadinejad's spiritual mentor.