A Supreme Endorsement?

Nader Uskowi believes Khamenei is close to an Ahmadinejad endorsement:

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today came close to endorsing Ahmadinejad in the 12 June presidential elections. Speaking in Kurdistan province, Khamenei spoke in coded language, implicit in support for Ahmadinejad.

“The nation knows and has witnessed the fact that if it’s elected president is full of energy and has the determination; he can instigate great service [to the nation].”

[IRNA, in Persian, 12 May 2009]

Khamenei also spoke against lavish lifestyle and corruption widely associated with Mehdi Karrubi, one of Ahmadinejad’s main rivals; calling on people to elect a simple man.

“Elect someone who feels the pain of the nation, feels the pain of the people, comes from and is close to the [ordinary] people, has a simple life, and he and his family and close relatives are free of corruption and lavish lifestyle.”