As Iranians prepare for the country’s increasingly unpredictable presidential election, a national football disappointment yesterday provided a paradoxical boost for those hoping to unseat the incumbent hardliner, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
President Ahmadinejad faces a serious challenge from Mir Hossein Musavi, who is reviving the hopes of the long-demoralised reformist camp. Musavi, a former prime minister, benefited when Iran drew 0-0 against North Korea – reinforcing worries that the beautiful game has declined along with the Islamic Republic’s economic situation and international standing during Ahmadinejad’s stormy four-year term.
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