Ultra-conservative Tehran mayor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad swept to a stunning landslide victory in presidential elections on Saturday and immediately vowed to turn Iran into a strong and exemplary Islamic state.His victory triggered doubts on the country’s liberalisation process, started by outgoing reformist President Mohammad Khatami, and raised questions about whether Iran will harden its stance on its nuclear impasse with the West.Ahmadinejad (48) won the backing of the religious poor to defeat veteran political heavyweight Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who was supported by pro-reform parties and wealthy Iranians fearful of a hardline monopoly on power in the Islamic state.‘‘Our main goal today is to create an exemplary, advanced and powerful Islamic nation,’’ he said in a radio address — his first comments since being declared winner of Friday’s election.In a campaign where Rafsanjani advocated better ties with the US, Ahmadinejad had said relations with Washington were not a cure-all for Iran. ‘‘This all but closes the door for a breakthrough in US-Iran relations,’’ said Karim Sadjadpour, Tehran-based analyst for the International Crisis Group.Ahmadinejad, who will be Iran’s first non-cleric president for 24 years when he takes office in August, has also used firm language on Iran’s controversial nuclear programme, saying it was the nation’s right to develop its nuclear technology. Iran says its nuclear programme is to make electricity but the West fears it wants to make atomic weapons.Ahmadinejad’s win was unlikely to lead to immediate changes in nuclear policy, as the final word in that and other matters of state lies with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.In his victory speech, Ahmadinejad hinted at a shake up in the oil sector, saying oil deals needed to be clarified. But amid rumours that he will purge government ministries after many top officials backed his opponent, he stressed the need for unity in the nation of 67 million.‘‘Today is a day when we have to forget our rivalries and turn them into friendships,’’ Ahmadinejad said.Rafsanjani cries foul, but won’t appeal mandateTEHRAN: Defeated presidential candidate Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani complained on Saturday that dirty tricks had been used against him. “I do not intend to complain about the elections to judges who have shown they either do not want or are not able to do anything,” said Rafsanjani, in his first public comment since losing the elections. “I will only complain to God .Those who spent millions to destroy my image.will (only receive) despair in this world and the afterworld.” —Reuters
