.Supreme Leader Insists Iran Vote Fair
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday said the United States and its allies were behind criticism that upcoming parliament elections will be unfair.
The Ayatollah, who is Iran's top authority on all state and religious matters, said Iranians on Friday should elect those who are firm in their opposition of the United States and in their loyalty to Iran's Islamic system.
"As much as they can, they are making statements against the (Iranian) government, parliament and officials, to make the public unenthusiastic and doubtful whether the elections are free or not," he said of the U.S. and its allies.
"With complete confidence I can tell you, my dear people, that the elections are taking place correctly," he told the audience at his Tehran residence. "Attending and participating in these elections is a national duty and a religious duty."
The remarks by Khamenei to a crowd of supporters were an indirect call to voters to reject the few reformists remaining in the race.
Some 1,700 candidates, many of them reformists seeking better relations with the West and greater freedoms at home, were prevented from running on the grounds of insufficient loyalty to Islam and Iran's Islamic revolution.
Hard-liners, including allies of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, are widely expected to maintain the hold they have had on parliament since 2004.
The disqualifications were overseen by the Guardian Council, which has 12 members, six of them clerics appointed by Khamenei, the rest top jurists nominated by the hard-line judiciary.
Khamenei - who officially is neutral in the race - did not specify any particular side but said the United States was closely watching the election.
"What the Americans want is against Iran's interest. Whoever our enemies do not want to be in the parliament, should be in the parliament. Whoever our enemies want to go into the ruling establishment and parliament should not go. They will implement the enemy's agenda," he said. "The right representatives are those whose loyalties are to Islam and justice."
Many reformists want to limit the powers of Khamenei and unelected clerical bodies like the Guardian Council. Those bodies are able to overrule laws issued by the parliament as well as bar candidates for public office, from local councils to the presidency.
Hard-liners say such powers are necessary, arguing that the legitimacy of the government is derived from God, so it must be ensured that popular elections don't contradict God's will.
Former reformist President Mohammad Khatami, who has been campaigning for reformist candidates, sharply criticized the barring of the candidates, insisting that Iranians should be able to choose their rulers freely.
"People want freedom," he told a large gathering in southern Tehran on Tuesday. "Freedom means people be allowed to question the ruling system and change it without use of force if the establishment doesn't respond to their demands."
He said "honest individuals" who were disqualified "are portrayed as deviant and supporters of America. This is deplorable. Worse is that it is done in the name of Islam," according to the speech posted on his Web site.
Khatami, a liberal cleric, was elected president in 1997 and during his rule social restrictions under Iran's Islamic system were loosened. But hard-liners prevented the reformist government from making deep changes in the law. Khatami stepped down in 2005 because of term limits, and Ahmadinejad won presidential elections.
Some 4,500 candidates nationwide are running for parliament's 290 seats in Friday's vote. Reformist groups have said they have around 200 candidates in the race. But some are competing for the same seats. A top reformist leader, Mohammad Reza Khatami - the former president's younger brother - said earlier this week that reformists are not competing at all in races for about 200 seats.
MyWay
Who is he talking too? The only people in the world that might believe him are Raed, and Bruno, and deep down I doubt even they really do.
Does anybody he believe the things he says
The Ayatollah, who is Iran's top authority on all state and religious matters, said Iranians on Friday should elect those who are firm in their opposition of the United States and in their loyalty to Iran's Islamic system.
"As much as they can, they are making statements against the (Iranian) government, parliament and officials, to make the public unenthusiastic and doubtful whether the elections are free or not," he said of the U.S. and its allies.
"With complete confidence I can tell you, my dear people, that the elections are taking place correctly," he told the audience at his Tehran residence. "Attending and participating in these elections is a national duty and a religious duty."
The remarks by Khamenei to a crowd of supporters were an indirect call to voters to reject the few reformists remaining in the race.
Some 1,700 candidates, many of them reformists seeking better relations with the West and greater freedoms at home, were prevented from running on the grounds of insufficient loyalty to Islam and Iran's Islamic revolution.
Hard-liners, including allies of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, are widely expected to maintain the hold they have had on parliament since 2004.
The disqualifications were overseen by the Guardian Council, which has 12 members, six of them clerics appointed by Khamenei, the rest top jurists nominated by the hard-line judiciary.
Khamenei - who officially is neutral in the race - did not specify any particular side but said the United States was closely watching the election.
"What the Americans want is against Iran's interest. Whoever our enemies do not want to be in the parliament, should be in the parliament. Whoever our enemies want to go into the ruling establishment and parliament should not go. They will implement the enemy's agenda," he said. "The right representatives are those whose loyalties are to Islam and justice."
Many reformists want to limit the powers of Khamenei and unelected clerical bodies like the Guardian Council. Those bodies are able to overrule laws issued by the parliament as well as bar candidates for public office, from local councils to the presidency.
Hard-liners say such powers are necessary, arguing that the legitimacy of the government is derived from God, so it must be ensured that popular elections don't contradict God's will.
Former reformist President Mohammad Khatami, who has been campaigning for reformist candidates, sharply criticized the barring of the candidates, insisting that Iranians should be able to choose their rulers freely.
"People want freedom," he told a large gathering in southern Tehran on Tuesday. "Freedom means people be allowed to question the ruling system and change it without use of force if the establishment doesn't respond to their demands."
He said "honest individuals" who were disqualified "are portrayed as deviant and supporters of America. This is deplorable. Worse is that it is done in the name of Islam," according to the speech posted on his Web site.
Khatami, a liberal cleric, was elected president in 1997 and during his rule social restrictions under Iran's Islamic system were loosened. But hard-liners prevented the reformist government from making deep changes in the law. Khatami stepped down in 2005 because of term limits, and Ahmadinejad won presidential elections.
Some 4,500 candidates nationwide are running for parliament's 290 seats in Friday's vote. Reformist groups have said they have around 200 candidates in the race. But some are competing for the same seats. A top reformist leader, Mohammad Reza Khatami - the former president's younger brother - said earlier this week that reformists are not competing at all in races for about 200 seats.
MyWay
Who is he talking too? The only people in the world that might believe him are Raed, and Bruno, and deep down I doubt even they really do.
Does anybody he believe the things he says
posted by madtom at 6:52 PM
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