Hardliner wins Iran presidential runoff
{{date|June 25, 2005}}

[[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]], Tehran's hardline conservative mayor, has won the Iranian presidential election with a landslide of 61.8%, according to Iran's Interior Ministry.  "The figures show that Ahmadinejad is the winner," Ministry spokesman [[w:Jahanbakhsh Khanjani|Jahanbakhsh Khanjani]] said to reporters. His rival Ayatollah [[w:Hashemi Rafsanjani|Hashemi Rafsanjani]] received 35.7% of the vote. An estimated 23 million votes were cast -- making voter turnout nearly 49 per cent. This runoff is the first since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. 

Ahmadinejad was seen as the underdog and was not expected to make it into the runoff, but active campaigning by his supporters and their crossing of class barriers propelled him into the runoff and ultimately into the presidency. He had the political support of low-income workers, vigilante groups and militias while calling for a return to the ideals of the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

Ahmadinejad is a former commander in the Revolutionary Guard, former provincial governor of Maku and  then Ardabil. As an ardent and loyal supporter of the ruling clerics and the Ayotollah [[Ali Khamenei]], his appointment as mayor of Tehran by the city council surprised few.

== Related news ==

* [[Iranians vote in runoff election]]
* [[Iran election going to run-off, challenger alleges fraud]]

== Sources ==

*{{source|url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/06/24/iran.election.winner/
|title=Hardline mayor wins Iran runoff
|author=Matthew Chance
|pub=CNN
|date=June 25, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-06-25-voa11.cfm
|title=Iran's President-Elect Urges National Unity After Divisive Poll
|author=
|pub=Voice of America
|date=June 25, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IRAN_ELECTIONS?SITE=CAOAK&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&SECTION=HOME
|title=Hardline Mayor Wins Iran Presidential Race
|author=Kathy Gannon
|pub=Associated Press
|date=June 24, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-06-25T012837Z_01_N24200594_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-IRAN-ELECTION-DC.XML
|title=Hardliner scores landslide Iran election win
|author=Parisa Hafezi
|pub=Reuters
|date=June 24, 2005}}

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[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Elections]]
[[Category:Middle East]]
[[Category:Iran]]
[[Category:Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]]
[[Category:Ali Khamenei]]
[[Category:Tehran]]
[[Category:Hashemi Rafsanjani]]

[[de:Mahmoud Ahmadinedschad gewinnt Stichwahl bei iranischer Präsidentschaftswahl]]
[[fr:L'ancien maire de Téhéran est le vainqueur du second tour des présidentielles en Iran]]
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Tehran's hardline conservative mayor, has won the Iranian presidential election with a landslide of 61.8%, according to Iran's Interior Ministry.  "The figures show that Ahmadinejad is the winner," Ministry spokesman Jahanbakhsh Khanjani said to reporters. His rival Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani received 35.7% of the vote. An estimated 23 million votes were cast -- making voter turnout nearly 49 per cent. This runoff is the first since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. 

Ahmadinejad was seen as the underdog and was not expected to make it into the runoff, but active campaigning by his supporters and their crossing of class barriers propelled him into the runoff and ultimately into the presidency. He had the political support of low-income workers, vigilante groups and militias while calling for a return to the ideals of the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

Ahmadinejad is a former commander in the Revolutionary Guard, former provincial governor of Maku and  then Ardabil. As an ardent and loyal supporter of the ruling clerics and the Ayotollah Ali Khamenei, his appointment as mayor of Tehran by the city council surprised few.
Politics and conflicts Elections Middle East Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Ali Khamenei Tehran Hashemi Rafsanjani