There’s a lot of new angles to this Iranian election. Much to Ahmadinejad’s horror, there’s an actual contender. Former Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi is a pal of Mahmoud’s foe Mohammad Khatami and he’s giving the President a run for his money. Though the campaign has been a bit boring at points, last night a debate between the two main contenders was rife with action. Watch the translated Iranian presidential debate below and keep an eye out for the moment when Ahmadinejad calls Mousavi’s wife corrupt. He even pulls out a folder (supposedly holding evidence to back up his claims) and waves it around.

Besides the heated rhetoric, this election marks the first time in Iran’s history that candidate’s wives have played a public role in the campaign. I’ve rifled through the archives and the only photos I can find of Ahmadinejad’s wife have her wearing the full Islamic garb — even her face is covered in these snaps. But now (as you’ll see below) he’s followed his opponent’s lead and brought his wife into the spotlight.

ahmadinejadwife
(Above: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and His Wife)

mousavwife
(Former Prime Minister Mousavi and His Wife)

What? You didn’t think they’d be decked out Palin-style, did you?

The ‘Spiritual Leadership’ of Iran is getting involved and rebuking both candidates for the debate appearance that has caused such an uproar. But Ahmadinejad seems unfazed. Perhaps he’s to busy trying to lock down votes with free money… or potatoes. Regardless, one week from today (June 12) Iranians will head to the polls and choose a leader. I’m not totally convinced the polling data are reliable but it looks bad for Ahmadinejad. Former parliament speaker Mahdi Karroubi is also in the race but may drop out before election day.

So what’s the difference between these two guys? And how will they approach the U.S.?

We know what to expect if Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wins. He’s a hardliner who will continue to push for the development of a nuclear arsenal and take enjoyment in fisticuffs with Western leaders. If he is victorious, we can expect more of the same. Mousavi is a bit more middle-of-the-road than Ahmadinejad. Then again, middle-of-the-road in the Iranian political realm isn’t saying much. Though he may be more open to normalizing relations with Western nations, there’s not much evidence to suggest he’s truly interested in dumping Iran’s nuke program. This isn’t quite an ‘either way, we’re screwed’ scenario, but it’s close.

Bottom line, the election in Iran is starting to get interesting. I’ll keep an eye on it.

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