WATCH VIDEO Ahmadinejad was sworn in to a second presidential term Wednesday with a call for the divided nation to “join hands,” but it was greeted by protests in the streets and snubs inside Iran’s parliament.The oath-taking ceremony capped a cycle of outrage over claims of massive fraud in the June 12 elections and moved Iran into a new phase: A weakened leadership facing a wider opposition that includes powerful clerics and internal splits among conservatives.The political fissures raise serious questions about Iran’s ability to make policy decisions on looming issues such as offers for talks with Washington and efforts to mend ties with European trade partners.U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Washington still favors direct contact with Iran, but she also lauded those challenging the leadership in Tehran.“Our policy remains the same and we take the reality that the person who was inaugurated today will be considered the president,” Clinton told reporters in Nairobi, Kenya. “But we appreciate and we admire the continuing resistance and ongoing efforts by the reformers to make the changes that the Iranian people deserve.”… >>>
