TEHRAN, Dec. 22 (UPI) — Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is shaping up to be a strong political challenger to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, political analysts say. Though he is a former Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander and has twice cracked down on student protests in the city, Ghalibaf is also seen as a pragmatist on relations with the West and is attracting support from a broad political spectrum in the country, The Boston Globe reported Monday.
