The Ayatollah: "Yay, Ahmadinejad!"; Critics: "Nah, Son. Nah."

From BBC:

Senior Iranian political figures appear to have snubbed the formal endorsement of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Influential former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was among those not at Monday's ceremony, state TV said.

Another former president, Mohammad Khatami, was also absent, as were defeated election candidates Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi.

Mr Ahmadinejad won a June election but allegations of fraud sparked protests.

Thousands of Iranians took to the streets in the largest mass demonstrations in Iran since the 1979 revolution, which brought about the current Islamic system of government.

Public protests have ebbed since in the face of a strong police and militia presence on the streets, but the country's political elite has been been in open disagreement about how to move forward.

Mr Ahmadinejad will be inaugurated for a second term in office on Wednesday, and will have two weeks to form a government which can be approved by parliament.

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It is alleged that after ceremony, Ahmadinejad went back to his dressing room and sprayed champagne on the rest of his cabinet members while chanting "Death to Israel."