Would Mousavi change Iran’s policies if elected?
Mousavi was very critical of President Ahmadinejad’s confrontational leadership style, mismanagement of the economy, and restriction of social freedoms. He would make a significant difference on domestic issues and set a different tone for the Iranian government, if elected. But there probably would be little substantive change in Iranian foreign policy beyond the moderation of the regime’s rhetoric. Mousavi has indicated there would be little change on Iran’s position on the nuclear issue and it should be noted that Iran’s clandestine nuclear weapons program began during his term as prime minister in the 1980s. Besides, the most important foreign policy and defense issues are dominated by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, and that would not change.
