Iran conservatives win parliament majority

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TEHRAN, Mar 17 (Reuters): Conservatives won a majority in Iran's parliamentary vote, state television said Sunday, but the new assembly may still give President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a tougher time ahead of next year's presidential election.
Western powers embroiled in a deepening standoff with Tehran over its disputed nuclear plans condemned Friday's election as unfair after many reformist politicians, the hardline president's staunchest critics, were barred from running.
But even though pro-reformers will only have a minority in the new legislature of world's fourth-largest oil-producer, analysts say they could team up with more moderate conservatives who have voiced concern about Ahmadinejad's economic policies blamed for surging inflation.
State-owned Press TV said the conservatives, who call themselves "principlists" for loyalty to the Islamic Republic's ideals, have taken at least 163 seats in the 290-member assembly against 40 for the reformists so far.