London, January 29: Senior Iranian opposition figure Mehdi Karoubi predicted in an interview published on Thursday that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would be ousted before the end of his four-year term.
Karoubi said the weakening economy and popular opposition would lead moderate forces to remove Ahmadinejad before he completes his second term in office.
“Considering the political and economic problems plus a controversial foreign policy, I personally believe Mr Ahmadinejad would not be able to finish his term,” Karoubi told the Financial Times. Karoubi said he believed Ahmadinejad’s populist policies had made Iran “too weak” for people to endure further unemployment and inflation.
The president’s hard-line policies have alienated intellectuals and some senior clerics and these groups will encourage moderate elements within the government to come together soon and find a solution to the crisis, Karoubi said. Possible solutions range from removing Ahmadinejad from office to limiting his powers or reshuffling the cabinet, Karoubi said. “But knowing this man, I believe he would not change his behavior,” he said.
——Agencies