Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Elections for Ninth Majlis

The elections for the Ninth Majlis will be held on Friday 2 March across Iran. In the absence of the reformist and opposition candidates, the race is among various conservative and ultraconservative groups and personalities. 


The most contested seats are in Tehran, where the leading conservative factions are running against each other and the outcome of the elections would determine the influence of each faction and the balance of power within the Islamic Republic’s ruling circles. Following are the more prominent groups participating in the elections and their top candidates for Tehran.

- United Principlist Front, the majority in the current Majlis, led by Assembly of Expert chairman Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani:

  • Hojatoleslam Mohammad Hassan Abutorabi
  • Qolamali Haddad Adel
  • Hojatoleslam Qolamreza Mesbahi Moqadam
  • Ahmad Tavakoli

- Resistance Front, led by the ultraconservative Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi:

  • Morteza Agha-Tehrani
  • Hojatoleslam Rohollah Hosseinian
  • Ali Asqar Zareie
  • Hojatoleslam Nabavian

- Voice of Nation, led by Ahmadinejad’s chief critic Ali Motahari:

  • Ali Mother
  • Ali Abbaspour Tehrani
  • Hamireza Katouzian
  • Hassan Qafoori-Fard

- Faith and Justice, led by Ahmadinejad’s chief of staff Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie, accused by the mainstream conservatives as “deviationists”:

  • Seyed Asqari Alaie
  • Nosratollah Ekvanian
  • Fatemeh Elia
  • Elham Aminzadeh

- Democratic Front, supporters of Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani:

  • Soheila Jelvehzadeh
  • Hossein Hashemi
  • Alireza Mahjoob
  • Elaheh Rastgoo

48,288,799 people are eligible to vote, with 3.9 million becoming eligible to cast their votes for the first time.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is there a Chance that Moussavi get released after this election? Because without that event I dont see any chance for a healing process to emerge ...

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:13 AM

Mousavi is one of the regime stooges. Who needs him?
The only healing would be if the mullahs stop treating the nation as cattle and go back to their mosques by relinquish politics and stay out of public and domestic affairs of the people.

Anonymous said...

The Tavileh must be maintained at all costs to serve the whims of Agha.

Anonymous said...

Not an entirely accurate description of those running.

There are reformist type (more liberal) candidates running. But there are no outspoken supporters of the '09 sedition running.

Anonymous said...

Anon 12:47 AM

More liberal?
Liberal in what,letting us breath?
I would say it is a very accurate description of the regime in its entirety.
As long as people believe that this regime is reformable there will be no hope left for the nation.
There is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow with this theocracy in any shape form or color.
All candidates have been vetted by the chief mullah therefor are stooges and serve his purposes.
The sedition has not even started, just sit and watch.

mat said...

'IRAN'S INTELLIGENCE MINISTER: ELECTION SECURITY SOUND
Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:56AM GMT


With only three days to the 9th Majlis (parliamentary) elections in Iran, Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi describes the security situation within the country as sound.

Following a Wednesday cabinet meeting, Moslehi highlighted the significance of the upcoming Majlis elections and told reporters that nations of the world will be looking at the nationwide polls in Iran with interest, and an expected high turnout will amount to a big slap in the mouth of arrogant powers.

He added that broad participation of Iranians in the elections would also nullify the huge publicity campaigns of such powers and thwart their other plots aimed at inflicting further damage on the Islamic Revolution.

On February 21, Iran’s Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar said that 48,288,799 people are eligible to cast their ballots in the upcoming vote, slated to be held on March 2.

Over 5,400 have registered to run in the race for the 290 parliamentary seats.

Anonymous said...

Anon 12:47 AM

Ah, that false sense of triumphalism we've been witness to here on the sidelines, wallowing in our marginalized self-exile for decades now.

Anonymous said...

The Tavileh must be maintained at all costs so that it can serve the purposes of Agha.

Anonymous said...

Mousavi might go down as the biggest idiot and buffoon in political history. Had he told the rioters to stop and wait for the next election things would be much different now. But instead he had to gamble that he could overthrow Ahmadinejad with force.

Anonymous said...

Anon 7:39 PM

Mousavi in fact discouraged riots against the regime.It was the Iranian people that decided to riot but Mousavi and his minority sabzollahi movement went against the peoples wishes.
This proved that Mousavi and his co workers were agents of the regime put there to excite and to suppress the movement against the regime.

Anonymous said...

Mousavi is a traitor and a member of the terrorist regime in Tehran.