Ahmadinejad: "Iran's election challenged Western democracy"

Where has the boastful, over-the-top Ahmadinejad we've come to know and love been for the last few days? He's back now--the Iranian election was such a glorious triumph that it put to shame the paltry elections of the World Arrogance:

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the Iranian nation's massive turnout in the recent presidential elections has challenged Western democracy.

"The recent election in Iran posed a great challenge to the West's democracy," Mehr news agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

He noted that the presidential election was a referendum in which some 40 million Iranians voted for the principles of the Islamic Republic in Iran.

"The ideals of the Islamic Revolution were the winners of the election," Ahmadinejad added.

He also noted that the results of the election show that 25 million people [who have voted for Ahmadinejad] have approved his way of management of the country.

In another article Nasrallah proclaims "Iran can pass through any crisis." Crisis? I thought the election "challenged Western democracy."

"Now yes, some of our friends in Iran have caused a problem because of the dispute over vote counting. There have always been disputes of this kind in Iran but with the presence of Wileyet el Fakih, the Supreme Leader Khamenei, and the maturity and presence of mind of the Iranians, Iran will pass through this crisis easily," Nasrallah stated.

"Wileyet el Fakih" refers, I believe, to the Iranian system as it relates to the authority of the Supreme Leader. (Does anyone have a good glossary entry?) Another article based on Nasrallah pronouncements declares "Israel hatching new plot in ME."

"What is happening in the region is a US-Israeli plan. There is a scheme with a clear division of roles between the US and Israel to divide the Arab region," Nasrallah said on Wednesday.

"We should defend our country against what is being plotted for the region ... which includes a possible relocation of the 1948 Palestinians to Lebanon," the Hezbollah leader added.

According to an IRIB Radio article, "Iran's Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Wednesday censuring interventionist and brazen remarks and stance taken by certain foreign countries about the 10th Presidential elections in Iran . . ." This one has North Korean cadences:

. . .a few countries in an unconsidered, hasty and brazen move rushed to announce their support for some illegal gatherings and disorders brought about by a series of opportunists and acted against the principles and norms of an internationally accepted democracy turning into spokespersons for rioters and hooligans; a move aimed at creating tensions within Iran.

The statement underlined that the foreigners have in fact targeted the shining example of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry statement said these (foreign) countries' approach is cheap and contemptible since these same countries have a dark record of supporting terrorism, a colonialist and imperialist past, a record of exploiting oppressed nations, and spreading and supporting despotism and despotic rulers, as well as stirring violence and equipping others around the world with weapons of mass destruction.

The statement, which was issued by Iran's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, said that Tehran believes that those foreigners could not bring into question the recent glorious and democratic elections in Iran.

It further advised the foreigners change their wrong attitude toward the developments in Iran since the planners of the game chess are closely examining their moves so that they will 'check and mate' the enemies of the national unity in Iran in the future relations.

"Checkmate" comes from a Persian phrase "Shah mat," meaning "The Shah has Jimmy Carter for an ally."

Crossposted on Soccer Dad