New Iranian president gives Ahmadinejad rare public scolding

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s president-elect Hasan Rouhani rebuked his soon-to-be predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for mismanaging the country’s resources, in his first criticism of the outgoing administration since June’s election.

A variety of newspapers, including the pro-reform Shargh daily, quoted Rouhani as saying his analysis of the economy is far different from the government’s current assessment. He also said Ahmadinejad had left much work to be done.

Despite Ahmadinejad’s claims of creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, he added, only an average of 14,000 were created annually over the 2006 to 2012 period.

Much of Iran’s economic woes stem from a harsh Western sanctions regime imposed to thwart the country’s nuclear ambitions.

Rouhani, who assumes office in August, regularly criticized Ahmadinejad during his presidential campaign. His election was seen as a rebuke toward the administration’s hard-line policies and a turn for Iran toward a more moderate stance.

Israeli officials, however, have warned that Rouhani will have little actual policy-making power since that lies with the clerical regime headed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

On Sunday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Rouhani would continue the country’s nuclear program, despite his relative moderate stances.

“There’s a new president in Iran,” he said. “He’s criticizing his predecessor for being a wolf in wolf’s clothing. His strategy is to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Smile and build a bomb.”