On Jul 3, 2007, at 3:13 AM, Yoshie Furuhashi wrote:
> Pillars of world arrogance shaky, president
...apparently that's not all that's shaky:
Financial Times - June 30, 2007
'Pulse of Iran' sounds a warning for president By Najmeh Bozorgmehr in Tehran
President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad says he likes to check Iran's economic pulse in his own neighbourhood in eastern Tehran.
He once told MPs in response to criticisms about rising prices to go and buy their tomatoes from Narmak. And he is fond of mentioning favourite shopkeepers in Narmak who he claims have helped him to understand the country's economic hardships.
"There is an honourable butcher in our neighbourhood who knows all the economic problems of the people," Mr Ahmadi-Nejad said recently. "I get my economic information from him."
A visit to Narmak this week, however, shows Iranians' growing economic frustrations. The imposition of petrol rationing, which provoked the burning of 10 petrol stations on Tuesday night, came on top of a recent fuel price rise and steep increases in the cost of housing and dairy products.
The economic pressures are threatening to tarnish Mr Ahmadi-Nejad's image as a leader who is close to his people.
"Butter is now 400 tomans [43 cents] from 300 tomans only a week ago," said a woman customer at the president's favourite grocery shop, shaking her head. "God knows what will happen following petrol rationing."
Another shopper, a mother of two, said tearfully: "It's a month since I started looking for a flat, but there is no way I can afford the new rents that have suddenly increased by three or four times."
Curiously, people in Narmak, who have sold the president goods for decades, say they respect Mr Ahmadi-Nejad as a decent customer who does not bargain like most others. But they do not recall being asked by him about people's problems, either before or since he became president.
Reza, a 50-year-old but-cher, says he sold red meat and liver to the president for about 30 years. "He has not come shopping here since his presidency [in 2005]," he added. "I respected him like all my other customers, but he never asked me about anything."
Another butcher, who asked not to be named, thought Reza was probably the president's main but-cher. "I remember once he was angry with me for selling liver for 100 tomans [11 cents] more than what Mr Reza charged."
"The butcher he talked about is like the promises he has made to people. They are not true," said one angry customer at the butcher's, claiming that he had spent four hours waiting to fill his car with petrol.
In spite of his frequent references to Narmak, Mr Ahmadi-Nejad has moved away from the district to another house near the presidential office in central Tehran. But according to neighbours, he returns every month or so and visits people in his small alley called Hedayat, meaning Islamic guidance.
Neighbours do not know which butcher he was referring to but talk of a 76-year-old grocer who visits the president whenever he shows up in Hedayat alley and tells him in a few minutes about the recent problems of his customers.
"He doesn't ask me questions, but only listens to me," said Yahya Esfandiari, the grocer, who clearly holds Mr Ahmadi-Nejad in high regard, saying the pre-sident "wants to work, but is stopped by some vipers".
Mr Esfandiari told the president about the high cost of housing last time he met the president. "He said the housing problem would be resolved in four or five months."