June 10, 2013

Steep Turns of the Pre-election Race

On Monday, June 10 the Iranian news agency Fars News reported that the former Speaker of the Parliament (Majlis) of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a Presidential candidate of Iran, Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel announced about his giving up participation in the Presidential election.

Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel"With the withdrawal of my candidacy I ask the people of Iran to comply strictly with the criteria of the Spiritual Leader in voting for the candidates," - said in his statement Haddad-Adel. His reasons for refusal to participate in the election were not disclosed.

This statement was not the last Monday’s surprise.

According to the Iranian news agency Mehr of June 10, with reference to Fars News, a former Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Hassan Rouhani may be excluded from the list of candidates for the Presidential elections in Iran for "disclosure of confidential information" about the national nuclear program during a televised debate devoted to this theme.

Hassan RouhaniAccording to the agency, the Supervisory Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran has started verification of the conformity of the pre-election campaign of Rouhani to the existing laws of the country. In particular, the Council also has a claim to the behavior of Rouhani’s supporters at a pre-election meeting, held last Saturday. Their statements and slogans were overly aggressive, informed Mehr. It was a meeting of many thousands of young people in the Tehran stadium, which very hotly and emotionally expressed their support for Hassan Rouhani, promising to solve such pressing issues as youth unemployment and education.

In accordance with the Regulations of the Supervisory Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran, it may review the list of candidates within the period up to the date of the vote.

Thus, the ballots may include only six candidates:

From the block of Reformers - former First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, former Minister of Post and Telegraph Syed Mohammad Gharazi.

The most powerful political figure and, of course, the most possible candidate for President is an ex-Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran and former negotiator with the "Six" on Iran's nuclear program, Hassan Rouhani.

Aref and Gharazi, as planned, were ready to vote for Rouhani, which could greatly improve his chances. If the Supervisory Council excludes him from the list of candidates, the Reformers will have no chance to win. Will collapse Reformers’ hopes to carry out positive reforms in the Iranian society, among which was the plan to normalize relations with the West and to withdraw Iran from the «nuclear impasse."

Not letting Rouhani to participate in the election will be a clear signal that the regime is not going to soften its positions and to compromise with the West.

From the block of Conservatives in the list have remained former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati, the Mayor of Tehran Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, a former IRGC Commander Mohsen Rezaee, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran Saeed Jalili.

It can be assumed that the struggle for the Presidency will flare up between the two most powerful politicians, Conservatives - Mohammad Qalibaf and Saeed Jalili.