Mohammad Shariati, a former advisor to Iranian President Khatami, gave a TV interview that aired on Al Jazeera last week. In the interview, Shariati blasted Crazy Mahmoud for making foreign policy blunders, for isolating Iran from the international community, and for wrecking the Iranian economy. Here is Shariati saying Crazy Mahmoud blundered by supporting Shia militias in Iraq:
... if a reformist policy had been employed, Iran would not have made all its mistakes in Iraq, and the problems we face throughout the Arab world would have been avoided. [Iran] supported some of the militias, which had no understanding of the Sunni-Shi'ite issue, and acted tyrannically. In my opinion, if they had adopted a reformist policy, as was the case in the past, there would have been fewer perils and fewer alliances against us.
Here is Shariati on Crazy Mahmoud's mishandling of the Iranian economy:
"The factories used to operate for longer hours, there was work, and the standard of living was higher. Everybody admits that investments have declined significantly, and that [the government] signed fictitious contracts that have not been implemented, because others avoid investing here, and [the government] wants to create the impression that it has investments, because the price of oil has changed.
Shariati seems to be saying Crazy Mahmoud's government is lying to its citizens about contracts for investments, and blames the bad economy on the price of oil. From this report earlier this week, newspaper editorials in Iran are criticizing his handling of the economy and his off-putting language. Pat Dollard has more on long lines and gas shortages in Iran.
