Iran's ex-president Mohammad Khatami has made a rare criticism of successor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, saying inflation was a growing problem which government statistics were attempting to conceal, the press reported on Monday. The reformist Khamati has until now refrained from commenting on Ahmadinejad's policies since he left office in 2005, but his stinging attack comes amid intense manoeuvring ahead of parliamentary elections in March.| Too bad Khamati doesn't have any power. |
The government has been criticised by reformists and moderate conservatives alike for its handling of the economy. Inflation has surged in recent months and price rises in basic goods and services have hit the poor hardest. Iran's year-on-year inflation is currently running at 15.8 percent, according to central bank statistics. However, many economists dispute this figure and Iranian parliamentary research has estimated that inflation this year will be running at 22.4 percent.
"Unfortunately, it has become customary to conceal the real issues, and portrayed the issues in another way. Also anything regarding the past is portrayed as bad and condemned," said Khatami.
The presidency of Khatami between 1997-2005 started with a landslide election victory and high hopes he would transform Iranian society through reform. By his own admission, Khatami failed to fully realise these expectations. Yet the charismatic mid-ranking cleric retains considerable support and there has even been speculation he could stand in the 2009 presidential election, a rumour that has not been confirmed.
Ahmadinejad has defended his government's record on the economy and also said it welcomes criticism. "The country's atmosphere is a friendly one and everyone speaks his mind freely," he said on Sunday.