The Latest from Iran (12 August): The Opposition and the Question of Elections
Friday, August 12, 2011 at 4:52
1655 GMT: Secretary-General Mohammad Reza Bahonar, last night at a forum of the Islamic Society of Engineers, said that the principalists haven't been this unified since May 23, 1997, the election of President Khatami.
1544 GMT: Principalist MP Hamid Reza Katouzian said that Ahmadinejad has crossed several "red lines," Ahmadinejad and his cabinet "don't believe in expertise and do not employ collective wisdom."
Speaking to Kabar Online correspondent, Katouzian who is the head of the Majlis energy commission explained why after Ahmadinejad didn't attend his office for 10 days, the Principalists began to criticize him.
"They finally realized that Mr. Ahmadinejad has already crossed several red lines and it's regrettable that they confronted him simply as he resisted approving the decree issued by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei not sooner," the lawmaker said.
"Of course there's no doubt that all officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran should adhere to Velayat-e Faqih, but they should also react to the illegal actions taken by the government, instead of remaining silent" he added.
1529 GMT: A dramatic scene, Iranian security operatives repelling from rooftops, smashing things, and hanging in precarious positions. Are they performing a dramatic water or mountain rescue of civilians in need? Are they jumping down from heights to raid a terrorist compound?
Nope, it's just a neat gallery of police destroying satellite dishes, because, in Iran, news is more dangerous than jumping off of a roof.
1514 GMT: Jaras has posted a statement by the "Iranian Green Democratic Congress," calling for the release of Ayatollah Kazemeini Boroujerdi and Heshmatollah Tabarzadi. An EA correspondent notes that it is unusual for Jaras to post statements by any organizations that are this strongly against the current establishment.
1453 GMT: The Wanted Watching the Watchers Alert - Ayatollah Sey Hashem Hosseini Bushnehri told the UN Security Council "you are dead" because they are ignoring the violence against British citizens. He spoke about the injustice towards the youth in America and Britain, and he accused the Security Council of turning a blind eye.
1431 GMT: Friday prayer update - Shahreza Hojjatoleslam Seifollah Yaghoubi said today that the entire world envies Iran because of their "erudite" leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.
1357 GMT: All the President's Men. The reformist newspaper Shargh asserts that Vice President Hamid Baghaei --- despite a formal suspension on his activities, imposed by an Iranian court --- is becoming more important in the Presidential office as the Chief of Staff, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashai, works behind the scenes.
Support for the assertion comes from photographs in Khabar Online of Baghaei giving a speech and appearing alongside the President at an iftar breaking the Ramadan fast.
1354 GMT: Ahmadinejad Watch. Reports are circulating that Parliament will debate complaints against the President next week on four matters, as well as considering reports on food imports and the 4th Budget Plan for 2005-2010.
1349 GMT: James Miller here, restarting the liveblog.
Clerical Intervention - Hojatoleslam Avnab has explained that clerics are opposing the political ambitions of President Ahmadinejad's right-hand man, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashai, because of his attempted manipulation of elections through use of State money and links with provincial governments.
0345 GMT: In a lengthy interview with BBC Persian, Mir Hossein Mousavi's spokesman Ardeshir Amir Arjomand has re-stated his position, "We will not participate in elections [for Parliament in March], if our demands are not fulfilled."
But it is not Arjomand, based in Paris, who is offering statements. An EA source has now passed up the full English translation of an interview with Mohsen Armin, a leading reformist inside Iran. He declares: "What [former President Mohammad] Khatami mentioned were the logical conditions and requirements for a sound and fair election. Without these conditions a nd requirements it would be difficult to call what is conducted an election."
The conditions not only include free and fair elections with supervision accepted by all groups but also the restoration of unrestricted political parties, freedom for political prisoners, and adherence to the Constitution.
Armin does offer a glimpse of a possibility for a deal which would bring the reformists back into the process:
There are two groups of Principlists. The extremist and unrealistic Principlists think more about keeping power and getting results from what they have spent until now than on full public participation. They even think about damaging national security in the idea of keeping their power. On this account in their view the best elections are elections with specific and guaranteed results....
However the second group is more realistic and has a view that thinks more about interests. In view of the crisis conditions domestically and internationally they understand the meaning and importance of passionate elections and they know it is not possible to hold such elections without the involvement of the reformists.
Armin's statement, which we are still considering, has a significance beyond the question of the the elections. He offers an evaluation of the reformists' past performance, assessing mistakes and promising change: " If the reformists take power...their priorities cannot be the same as they were in the past."
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