Baltimore Sun: Three years ago, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was a relative political unknown in Iran. But now, the 49-year-old hard-liner – a former commander in Iran’s universally feared clerical army, the Pasdaran, and more recently the mayor of Tehran – has become one of the Islamic Republic’s most recognizable faces.
Radical rebound in Iran
Iran Nobel winner defends election boycott
AFP: Nobel peace prize winner Shirin Ebadi made an impassioned defence of her decision to boycott Iran’s election, which goes into a second round on Friday, and launched a stinging attack on presidential candidate Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Ebadi told AFP in an interview that she was not voting because she deemed the entire election was illegitimate, adding it was of little difference whether hardline Tehran mayor Mahmood Ahmadinejad or former president Rafsanjani won.
Dissident Disputes Results, Calls Runoff Choices ‘Bad and Worse’
New York Sun: The choice for Iranians tomorrow in the presidential runoff is between “bad and worse,” according to a leader of the July 9, 1999, Tehran University uprisings, Ahmad Batebi.
In a phone interview yesterday with The New York Sun, Mr. Batebi said, “The candidates were never elected by the people, the selection of the candidates are from the supreme leader.The people of Iran had no power in choosing any of them.”
Unfair Elections
Washington Post – Editorial: It has become a truism among those who promote and observe the development of new democracies that elections alone do not make democracy. Without other characteristics of democracy — free press, free speech, the right to form political parties — elections can even be counterproductive, since they give spurious legitimacy to “winners.”
Rafsanjani reassures Iran’s ultra-conservatives, praises Revolutionary Guards
Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Jun. 23 – Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani told a meeting of senior Revolutionary Guards commanders that he has not accepted any pre-conditions to win the support of different factions within the regime for his presidency. All those who are supporting me in the run-off are doing so without any pre-condition, the former President said.
Rafsanjani reassures ultra-conservatives, praises Revolutionary Guards
Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Jun. 23 – Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani told a meeting of senior Revolutionary Guards commanders that he has not accepted any pre-conditions to win the support of different factions within the regime for his presidency. All those who are supporting me in the run-off are doing so without any pre-condition, the former President said.
Iran elections round-up
Iran Focus and wire services:
Iran Government Spokesman: Votes are being bought
New poll puts Tehran mayor ahead
Iran revolution ‘at stake’ in election: Rowhani
Iran elections round-up
Iran Focus and wire services:
Iran Government Spokesman: Votes are being bought
New poll puts Tehran mayor ahead
Iran revolution ‘at stake’ in election: Rowhani
Iran can’t ignore discontent of youthful electorate
Christian Science Monitor: Iran’s mullahs have just conducted the first round of their exercise in nondemocracy, the election of a new president. Their Guardian Council, made up of Islamic hard-liners, largely determines everything. In this year’s election, they determined who should run, disallowed a thousand contenders, and ruled out all women candidates.
Iran journalist sentenced to 3 months in prison
Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Jun. 22 A court in Irans holy city of Qom has sentenced a journalist to 91 days in prison for having insulted both the President and the head of the State Expediency Council, a state-run news agency reported. Farid Modarressi was found guilty of writing insulting material against incumbent President Mohammad Khatami and SEC chief Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
