FG

Polls show huge drop in support for regime, especially among Ahmadinejad voters FINDINGS = A HUGE "CRISIS OF LEGITIMACY:"

--39 percent of the youth and 23 percent of the older age group who had voted for Ahmadinejad now regretted their vote.

--The most dramatic erosion of support has been in small towns and rural areas where the regime was once unquestioned

--Interestingly, the September poll showed that 63 percent of the anti-Ahmadinejad youth group, who were in a major city in June and July due to work, joined demonstrations.

--Another 22 percent said they would have liked to join but were working, though all said they wore green wristbands.

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THOSE WHO TURNED AGAINST THE REGIME GAVE THESE REASONS:

The raping, killing, and torture of young men and women who had participated in demonstrations after the June elections and the realization that Ahmadinejad was to blame for the economic situation.

A SMALL TOWN RESPONDENT DESCRIBES EFFECTS OF RIGGED ELECTION, KHAMENEI'S REPEATED DENIALS

“Look, I am not educated and I don’t understand politics the way you do. This village has a population I think of around 8,000. My guess is Ahmadinejad got 50 percent of the votes. He is not as loved in the provinces, or at least here, as much as city folk think he is. I personally know three-hundred people from amongst friends, family, and acquaintances who voted for Moussavi. Now they say in our entire village only 43 people voted for him. Do they take me for a fool?”

IRONY:

The very measures Khamenei and Ahmadinejad took to keep the regime in power (intimidation, censorship, horrific brutality) appear to be doing the opposite.

FOR MORE ON THE POLLS SEE:

insideIRAN | Study Reveals Ahmadinejad Supporters in Rural Areas No Longer Back Him