TEHRAN - Hardline allies of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have suffered a stinging defeat at the hands of moderate conservatives and reformists in elections for Tehran city council, final results said Thursday.
The results, which have taken almost a week to appear, showed allies of the moderate conservative mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf won eight seats, reformists four, Ahmadinejad loyalists two and an independent one, the interior ministry said.
The outcome comes after a cleric seen as Ahmadinejad's spiritual mentor trailed well behind centrist ex-president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in elections for the Assembly of Experts, which were also held on Friday.
The 15-member Tehran city council, seen as a key bellwether for national political trends, will now contain a host of high-profile politicians and a number of sportsmen. Their mandate starts on April 29, 2007.
The new make-up of the council, in order of votes won, is as follows:
1 -- Mehdi Chamran, current head of Tehran council, Qalibaf ally.
2 -- Morteza Talaie, popular ex Tehran police chief, Qalibaf ally.
3 -- Rasoul Khadem, former world wrestling champion, Qalibaf ally.
4 -- Abbas Sheibani, veteran politician, Qalibaf ally.
5 -- Hadi Saei, Olympic taekwondo champion, reformist.
6 -- Hamzeh Shakib, incumbent council member, Qalibaf ally.
7 -- Ali Reza Dabir, ex world wrestling champion, independent.
8 -- Parvine Ahmadinejad, sister of the president, pro-Ahmadinejad list.
9 -- Masoumeh Ebtekar, former vice president, reformist.
10 -- Ahmad Masjed-Jameie, former culture minister, reformist.
11 -- Mohammad Ali Najafi, former vice president, reformist.
12 -- Masoumeh Abad, Qalibaf ally.
13 -- Hassan Bayadi, incumbent council member, Qalibaf ally.
14 -- Khosro Daneshjoo, brother of Tehran province head, pro-Ahmadinejad.
15 -- Habib Kashani, incumbent council member, Qalibaf ally.
