Analysts had forecasted on Friday that conservatives would slowly gain hold of Iran’s parliament, with the public becoming more critical of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s economic policies.

Many reformists, seeking political and social change and trying to capitalise on public discontent over inflation, were blocked from contesting in the polls.

Conservative politician Shahabeddin Sadr said 70 percent of winners so far were “principlists” — a label conservatives use to describe their loyalty to the Islamic state’s ideals. But he did not say how many seats had been decided.

Confusing equations

Sadr is the secretary of the United Front, the biggest and most pro-government conservative group, which confusingly includes both backers and critics of Ahmadinejad. Moreover, Sadr said most of the “principlists” elected were United Front candidates. But some reformists expect Ahmadinejad to face a sharper scrutiny even if the conservatives take control of the parliament.

“The President will face more challenges with the next parliament than he did with the current one,” said Mohammad Ali Abtahi, a close ally of reformist former president Mohammad Khatami.

An Iranian political analyst, who asked not to be named, also predicted that the next parliament would give Ahmadinejad a rougher ride. He said splits had opened up among conservatives jockeying for position before the 2009 race for the presidency.

Collision course

“We are planning to join hands with some independents and that will make us stronger, especially because conservatives have deep divisions among themselves,” said a top reformist politician who asked not to be named.

Reformists and even some conservatives have accused Ahmadinejad of fuelling inflation, now at 19 percent, by lavish spending of Iran’s windfall oil revenues on subsidies, loans and handouts.

Pro-reform politicians have also rebuked Ahmadinejad for harsh speeches that kept Iran on a collision course with the UN over Tehran’s disputed nuclear plans.

But Ahmadinejad’s strength is in the backing he has of Iran’s top authority Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who supports Ahmadinejad manner of handling the nuclear row with the US.