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Iran leader accuses speaker's family of graftBy Yeganeh Torbati, Reuters DUBAI--Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused the parliament speaker's family of corruption on Sunday, turning a long-standing rivalry between two of Iran's most powerful figures into a face-to-face feud, months before an election.
February 5, 2013, 12:14 am TWN Addressing parliament to defend one of his ministers against impeachment, Ahmadinejad went on the attack, playing astonished lawmakers a recorded conversation with the brother of Speaker Ali Larijani that he said implicated the whole family in corruption. But the recording was inaudible and Ahmadinejad read out what he said was a summary. “These are audio and video, and the tape is clear,” said Ahmadinejad, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA). Ali Larijani fired back at Ahmadinejad, denying the charge of corruption. “Our problem is that our president does not observe the basics of proper behavior,” Larijani said. “Why did you discuss this issue here?” Larijani continued: “Actually it's a good thing ... that you played this tape today, so that the people better understand your character.” At this remark, the chamber erupted in jeers. At one point, Ahmadinejad asked to speak again, a request Larijani denied, and Ahmadinejad left the chamber and lost the impeachment vote.
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