TEHRAN, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Crackdowns by hard-line Iranian political elements may signal growing fear of a strong electoral challenge to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, analysts say.
Even though the conservative Ahmadinejad is backed by Iran's supreme religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, there are growing signs that support for a reformist challenger in the June presidential elections is triggering a backlash by hard-liners, The New York Times reported Monday.
Who that challenger may be is not decided. Analysts told the Times Mohammad Khatami, the reformist former president of Iran, may enter the race, while Mehdi Karroubi, a former speaker of Parliament and a reformer, has said he will run. Meanwhile, there have been several instances of crackdowns on reformists, such as last week's closure by authorities of the daily newspaper Kargozaran.
Iranian Web sites have indicated pressure on reform-minded students to end their political activities has increased after several thousand students gathered last month to hear Khatami speak at Tehran University, the Times reported.
