Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - In what is being seen as a referendum on his hard-line policies, final results in Iran's local elections show that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's opponents have won a majority of seats.

Poll results released Thursday indicated that "moderate" conservatives won a majority of seats in the council elections, followed by "reformists."

The outcome suggests that local issues are more important for the citizens of Iran than issues of the regime, an Iranian expert here said.

Menashe Amir told Cybercast News Service the result was a clear "sign of dissatisfaction" with Ahmadinejad. He said the Iranian was outspoken on international issues but had not succeeded in solving Iran's pressing problems, such as the country's economic woes.

The Iranian president has gained international attention for his refusal to comply with United Nations Security Council demands that he halt Iran's enrichment of uranium.

The process is necessary for making nuclear weapons and can also be used to fuel a nuclear reactor. The West believes that Iran is using its civilian nuclear program as a front to clandestinely develop atomic weapons.

Ahmadinejad has also become notorious for comments calling for the destruction of Israel.

Amir said the outcome of the elections would not likely have a "decisive impact" on the radical Iranian regime's policies although it could have a cumulative affect on the future of Iran.

He said the election outcome was the recent second sign suggesting that the Iranian public is not satisfied with Ahmadinejad's performance.

When Ahmadinejad was speaking at a university in Tehran last week, protesters burned pictures of him, threw firecrackers and shouted slogans such as "dictator go away" and "death to dictatorship."

Amir said several articles criticizing last week's conference questioning the Holocaust have also appeared in the Iranian media.

The conference, which drew international condemnation, was inspired by Ahmadinejad's claim that the Holocaust is a "myth."

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