A senior aide to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has assailed the state television for not giving the president enough airtime after his "epic" re-election, Press TV reported.
Javad Shamaqdari, a cultural advisor to Ahmadinejad, said Monday that the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) should drop its pre-election attitude and allocate enough time to a president who has won a majority.
The disputed election in June saw President Ahmadinejad win almost two-third of the votes. After being confirmed by the Guardian Council, the electoral watchdog, he is to be sworn in before Parliament next week.
The opposition alleges that the results of the poll were fraudulent and claims the Ahmadinejad administration will face a 'legitimacy' crisis.
Referring to the president's trip to the city of Mashhad last week, Shamaqdari said the state television should have provided a live coverage of Ahmadinejad's address to "droves of people" who had gathered to welcome him, Tabnak reported.
"Is the warm reception given by droves of people from all walks of life, who accompanied the president from the airport to the (Imam Reza) shrine, despite the heat, not newsworthy in the eyes of state television bosses?" queried Shamaqdari, who made a campaign movie for Ahmadinejad.
"Or is it because that certain people do not wish to see heartwarming scenes of the close relationship between the Iranian nation and the elected president and his people aired?" he added.
Shamaqdari went on to say that missing out on such opportunities only enables "the enemy" to continue to publicize the "illegitimacy" of the government.