Also Seen and Heard Last Week: March 12, 2009

Elections

Iran

“Karroubi and Karbaschi appear as one”
– headline in the reformist Etemad-e-Melli newspaper, March 4

Mehdi Karroubi, reformist candidate for president and Secretary General of the National Confidence Party, appointed Gholam-Hossein Karbaschi as his campaign manager. Karbaschi, who is the Secretary General of the Servants of Construction Party (Kargozaran), joined the Karroubi campaign despite an official announcement from the Kargozaran party – allied with Hashemi Rafsanjani – that it will support Mohammad Khatami in the election. This lack of strict party loyalty is not unusual in Iran, but is stirring frustration and anger among reformists already concerned about a split within their ranks. In another twist, despite joining Karroubi, Karbaschi has still not ruled out his own presidential run.
“Some movements and groups are trying hard to prevent the reformists from getting their voice heard.”
– former president and current candidate Mohammad Khatami in the reformist newspaper Aftab-e Yazd, March 9

Khatami expressed concern over the tight control the government exerts over the reformist press and the consequent fear the reformist media has about criticizing the current administration or conservative groups. He further complained that the narrow space for reformist media limits his ability to present himself and his ideas to the Iranian people. While some candidates have their own publications, Khatami lacks the resources to create his own newspaper.
“Even Khatami himself does not believe in what his reformist government did for the country in eight years!”
– headline in the conservative newspaper Keyhan, March 9

Conservatives seized upon a speech that Mohammad Khatami gave in Bushehr province, in which he criticized the lack of government action since the end of the Iran-Iraq war to address poverty in the province. The conservatives have portrayed his statements as an admission that while president Khatami achieved little for the country.
“Government managers do not have the right to prevent the presidential candidates from giving speeches in government buildings and locations.”
– President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the conservative Jam-e-Jam website, March 9

In the last 10 days, reformist presidential candidates Mohammad Khatami and Mehdi Karroubi have both been prevented from giving lectures at public university campuses. In a surprise move, President Ahmadinejad responded by stating that no one has the authority to prevent candidates from expressing themselves freely in any public environment.
“We are committed to holding free and fair elections.”
– Interior Minister Sadegh Mahsouli in the conservative Resalat newspaper, March 9

The Minister of Interior, within whose ministry the elections department is housed, emphasized the need to put hostilities aside and abide by election laws and regulations. Earlier in the week the ministry announced that the registration period for candidates would begin on May 5th and run through May 9th. The election headquarters within the ministry will open in the middle of this month.