An earthquake Saturday, August 11 that killed hundreds and injured thousands in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province has sparked harsh criticism of the Iranian government and especially of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who chose to visit Saudi Arabia two days after the disaster instead of the afflicted areas of his own country.
For Ahmadinejad’s domestic adversaries, his decision to go ahead with plans to attend the summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Mecca was like throwing fresh meat to circling piranhas.
Iran’s presidents have never been short of rivals or criticism and that has been particularly so for Ahmadinejad, who has lost much of his clout in recent months and whose term in office ends in less than a year. However, Ahmadinejad’s decision to shun those affected by the earthquake has opened him up to new charges of insensitivity and arrogance.
