Iran’s Ahmadinejad Accuses Election Rivals of Adopting Hitler-Like Tactics

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is accusing his election rivals of using smear tactics similar to those of Nazi Germany’s leader Adolf Hitler.

At a final campaign rally in Tehran Wednesday, Mr. Ahmadinejad said his challengers are lying by describing the economy as in a poor state. He said using lies in the campaign for Friday’s election bears a resemblance to Hitler’s methods.

Leading reformist presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi has criticized Mr. Ahmadinejad for describing the Nazi German Holocaust as a myth, saying such remarks isolate Iran.

Iran’s president also accused his rivals of seeking revenge against people who gave him a surprise victory in the last presidential election in 2005.

The three other presidential candidates have accused Mr. Ahmadinejad of lying to the Iranian people by saying the economy is improving. They blame his government for Iran’s high inflation and unemployment.

Campaigning for Iran’s election is due to end Thursday morning, 24 hours before polls open.

Mr. Ahmadinejad’s aides say he will respond to his rivals’ allegations in a special message on state television. Iran’s state broadcaster says it has not yet made a decision on giving the conservative incumbent air time.

Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani says the state broadcaster denied his request to make a televised response this week to what he calls untruthful remarks by the current president.

Mr. Ahmadinejad accused the Rafsanjani family of corruption last week in a televised debate with Mr. Mousavi, a former prime minister.

Mr. Rafsanjani says the broadcaster postponed consideration of his request until after Friday’s election, something he calls unacceptable.

The former president appealed to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a letter Tuesday not to remain silent over Mr. Ahmadinejad’s remarks. Mr. Rafsanjani warned that the repetition of lies and false allegations in the campaign may trigger social unrest.

The other two presidential candidates are reformist cleric Mehdi Karroubi and conservative former Revolutionary Guards commander Mohsen Rezaei.

VOANews.com