Former Iranian president slams Ahmadinejad

Tehran: Iran's former president criticised hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's economic policy on Friday, saying it may harm the clerical establishment.

The remarks by Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani were among the harshest public criticism of Ahmadinejad made in recent days by several prominent figures in Iran.

"The economy and high inflation are ... issues that should be taken seriously," Rafsanjani told worshippers at Tehran University.

"The problem can harm Iran and the Islamic revolution," the influential cleric said in a live broadcast on state media.

Ahmadinejad has come under criticism at home for failing to tackle inflation in the country where consumer prices have spiralled.

"One of the (US-backed) Shah's mistakes was increasing imports to satisfy Iranians relying on the windfall oil earnings at the time," Rafsanjani said.

"That is a temporary solution maybe for one year. But it will harm production and will make the economy even weaker,'' he said.