Ahmadinejad vows changes to team

Let's watch the dictator and welcome the changes

(news.com.au) -IRANIAN President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has vowed to make changes to his team and "respect" young people when his new government takes office after his disputed re-election.

"The structure of government should change, the changes in the government will be considerable," Mr Ahmadinejad said in a televised address to the Iranian people overnight.

He said his new government will put "housing, employment and economic reform" on its agenda.

"I am against police confrontation with people... We must respect people's tastes especially the youth," said Mr Ahmadinejad, whose opponents say was only re-elected through vote rigging.

The hardliner, who enjoys the backing of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was announced the winner of June 12 poll amid fraud allegations by former prime minister Mir Hossein Mousavi and reformist candidate Mehdi Karroubi.

The disputed results spurred hundreds of thousands to take to streets in week-long protests which police admit led to the death of at least 20 Iranians and the arrest of more than 1000.

Human rights groups say the number arrested was more than 2000 in the biggest upheaval since the Islamic Republic was established 30 years ago.

Iran has accused Western powers, notably Britain and the United States, of stoking post election unrest.

Mr Ahmadinejad hit out at world powers over their "interference and childish acts" and vowed that Iran "will not back down in seeking its deserved position and rights".

Iran is locked in a standoff over its controversial nuclear program which the West fears is a cover for weapons development, a charge than Tehran denies.

Mr Ahmadinejad insisted that the election was fair, saying: "This was the most beautiful and cleanest election."

From correspondents in Tehran
Agence France-Presse
July 08, 2009 04:48am