Iran begins vote to choose Ahmadinejad's successor

Iran's Khamenei says big election turnout will frustrate foes Wed, Jun 12 12:01 PM EDT 1 of 6 By Yeganeh Torbati DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's supreme leader urged voters to turn out in big numbers for a presidential election on Friday, saying such a show of strength would frustrate Tehran's enemies. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was speaking on the last day of a subdued campaign that has not produced a leading candidate from three main hardliners and one moderate. The winner will replace Mahmoud Ahmadinejad but inherit an economy struggling with high unemployment and inflation, and buckling under the weight of international sanctions imposed over Iran's disputed nuclear program. The new president will also have little leeway to change major policies such as Iran's enrichment of uranium for nuclear fuel or its support for President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war. Both are decided by Khamenei.

"My insistence on the presence of the majority of people in the elections is because the strong presence of the Iranian nation will disappoint the enemy, make it reduce pressures and follow another path," Khamenei said in a speech on Wednesday, reported on his web site. "It is possible that some people, for whatever reason, do not want to support the Islamic Republic establishment but they do want to support their country. They should also come to the polls. Everyone should come to the polls," Khamenei said

. With 678 people who registered as candidates barred from standing in the election, the United States and the Israel - top of Iran's list of enemies - have both criticized the ballot as neither free nor fair. Voters now have six candidates remaining to choose from - a slate dominated by conservatives who tout their loyalty to Khamenei and offer little in the way of real policy differences. As there are no independent, reliable opinion polls on voting intentions in Iran, it is hard to gauge who will win. Reformist leaders said the last presidential election in 2009 was rigged to return Ahmadinejad to office and many mainly middle-class, more liberal voters may fail to turn out this time in the belief the same thing could happen. Iranian authorities say all polls are open and democratic. Moderates and reformists united on Tuesday behind centrist cleric Hassan Rohani, hoping to attract the vote of Iranians hoping for more freedoms and better relations with the West. IDEOLOGY OR PRAGMATISM? A high turnout could favor Rohani, but the more liberal Iranians he is most likely to appeal to may be the ones most likely not to vote. However Iranians, analysts say, recognize the difference between bad and worse and may turn out anyway. "People are not eager to go and vote themselves, but they are worried about who will get elected," said Zoha, a 28-year-old dental student in Tehran. "I will vote for Rohani. I will only vote because it might help prevent someone like Jalili getting elected," she said. "He is a hardliner who will only take away our freedom even more." Following some reports of youths wearing Rohani's purple colors gathering in the streets, his campaign appealed to his followers to respect the law. Riot police cracked down hard on reformist supporters celebrating in the streets believing their candidate had won the 2009 vote. Rohani's conservative opponents meanwhile appeared no closer on Wednesday to deciding on a unified candidate. Saeed Jalili, Iran's nuclear negotiator has run a strong campaign, but has been heavily criticized, even by fellow hardliners, for his intransigence in talks with world powers and failing to stop the imposition of tough international sanctions. Jalili is alone among the candidates in defending Iran's current robust, ideologically driven foreign policy. "The smallest flexibility in defending our country's rights will lead to more pressure," state television quoted Jalili as telling supporters. Other conservative candidates, while not necessarily disagreeing with the substance of Iran's present policies, have emphasized what they say will be their more inclusive approach domestically and their more pragmatic style abroad. Former foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati said on Wednesday his government would consult widely before taking decisions "Our problem is that we have gone to extremes and one of my government's plans is to take a moderate approach," ISNA quoted him as saying. The other major hardline hopeful, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, has brought in experts to help him run Tehran as the capital's mayor and largely avoided ideologically motivated unpopular interference in people's private lives. But the lack of unity among the conservative "Principlists" could badly split their vote. "Isn't the presence of one Principlist candidate with many votes better than the scattering of votes among Principlists?" wrote Hossein Shariatmadari, the editor of influential hardline Kayhan newspaper. (For an Interactive timeline of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president of Iran please click on http://link.reuters.com/cas68t )) (Additional reporting by Zahra Hosseinian; Editing by Jon Hemming and Angus MacSwan) ================= Iran begins vote to choose Ahmadinejad's successor Fri, Jun 14 00:17 AM EDT 1 of 4 By Yeganeh Torbati DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranians began voting on Friday in a presidential election unlikely to result in seismic shifts in its troubled relations with the West and Gulf Arab neighbors, but which could bring a softening of the confrontational style personified by outgoing president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. World powers embroiled in talks with Iran over its nuclear program are looking for signs of a recalibration of its negotiating position after eight years of intransigence under fiery populist Ahmadinejad. Iran's Gulf Arab neighbors are also wary of Iran's influence in Iraq next door and its backing for President Bashar al-Assad and his Lebanese allies Hezbollah in the Syrian civil war. The Sunni Arab kingdoms are backing the rebels in Syria. Of five hardline candidates professing unwavering obedience to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, three are thought to stand any chance of winning the vote, or making it through to a second round run-off in a week's time. Of those three main conservative hopefuls only one, current chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, advocates maintaining Iran's robust, ideologically-driven foreign policy. The other two, Tehran mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and former foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati, have pledged never to back away from pursuing Iran's nuclear program but have strongly criticized Jalili's inflexible negotiating stance. They face a single moderate candidate, the only cleric in the race, Hassan Rohani. Though very much an establishment figure, suspicious of the West, Rohani is more likely to pursue a conciliatory foreign policy. 2009 CRACKDOWN With no independent, reliable opinion polls in Iran, it is hard to gauge the public mood, let alone the extent to which Khamenei and the Revolutionary Guards will exert their powerful influence over the ballot. State media reported that polling began on schedule at 0330 GMT. Voting lasts for 10 hours, though this can be extended if need be. There are more than 50 million Iranians eligible to vote, 1.6 million of them first-time voters. But security has been tight and campaigns subdued compared to the euphoric rallies that preceded the last presidential election in 2009, when reformist supporters thought they scented victory and the prospect of change in Iran. Those hopes were dashed when Ahmadinejad was returned to office by results the reformists said were rigged. The large street protests that broke out were met with a tough crackdown in which several people were killed and hundreds arrested. The reformist candidates who lost in 2009 are now under house arrest and have little contact with the outside world. Human rights groups have criticized Iran for further arrests and curbs on activists and journalists ahead of Friday's poll and the disqualification of 678 people registered as candidates, including Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, one of the founders of the Islamic Republic. Iranian officials dispute accusations of human rights abuses and call the charges politically motivated. They also say elections in Iran are free, fair and democratic. (Writing by Jon Hemming, Additional reporting by Zahra Hosseinian, Editing by Andrew Roche and William Maclean ======================================== Iranians count on president-elect Rohani to bring change Sun, Jun 16 11:05 AM EDT 1 of 10 By Zahra Hosseinian DUBAI (Reuters) - Thousands of Iranians celebrated on the streets into Sunday's early hours, counting on moderate president-elect Hassan Rohani to follow through on promises of better relations abroad and more freedom at home after routing hardliners at the polls. A mid-ranking Shi'ite cleric, Rohani is an Islamic Republic insider who has held senior political and military posts since the 1979 revolution and maintained a good rapport throughout with theocratic Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's most powerful man who has the last word on all the big issues. While no reformer himself, Rohani gained the backing of politically sidelined but still popular reformist leaders. His call for an end to the "era of extremism" won over many voters disgruntled over economic crises and crackdowns on free speech and dissidents that marked Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency. Rohani's surprise win however is not expected to quickly resolve the stand-off with the West over Iran's disputed nuclear ambitions or break its commitment to backing President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's civil war. But the new president will run the economy of the sprawling OPEC member state of 75 million people and exert influence when Khamenei decides on national security matters. His victory goes some way to repairing the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic, punctured four years ago when dozens were killed in protests after an election reformists said was rigged, and may help pragmatic voices muzzled since then to re-emerge. Thousands of young Iranians took to the streets of the capital Tehran and other big cities as soon as the poll results were announced on Saturday, making sure their voices and expectations of the new president were clearly heard. The president-elect, known in the West as Iran's main nuclear negotiator in 2003-05, immediately sought to build bridges on Sunday, expressing approval of the street parties but also having talks with the conservative speaker of parliament. "With their celebrations last night, the Iranian people showed they are hopeful about the future and God willing, morals and moderation will govern the country," Rohani told state TV. Hardliners whose power comes from their unquestioning loyalty to Khamenei both badly miscalculated the public mood and failed to set aside their own factional differences and field a single candidate, analysts said. Both Khamenei and the powerful hardline Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that controls large swathes of the oil-dependent economy said the election was a victory for all. Whether Rohani succeeds in ushering in change to Iran, or whether the next four years yield the same stalemate that marked the 1997-2005 presidency of reformist Mohammad Khatami, will hinge on his ability to balance the demands and expectations of the people with the interests and constraints of those who hold the pivotal instruments of power in the Islamic Republic. ROHANI MAY HAVE ADVANTAGES OVER KHATAMI Rohani's reputation as a mediator and someone who has worked within the corridors of power should be an advantage that Khatami, who was director of the national library before he became president, never enjoyed. "Rohani is the ultimate regime insider. In contrast to Khatami, who held no governmental position when he was catapulted into the presidency, Rohani has never been out of power or Khamenei's good graces," said Ali Vaez, Iran analyst at the International Crisis Group. "Also, Rohani is a centrist politician, with a unique bridge-building ability. He is unlikely to alienate competing power centers, who can stymie his reforms," he said. A big test will be whether Rohani pushes for the release from house arrest of Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi, two reformist leaders held under house arrest since 2011. That demand was a constant chant of Rohani supporters at his campaign rallies and on the streets of Tehran and elsewhere overnight. "This will in my view be the first real test of how sincere this election has been. Then we will know the caliber of Mr Rohani," said Ali Ansari, professor at St Andrew's University in Scotland. "Much depends on the political will of the fractured elite and the willingness of Khamenei to pull back. There is some anxiety that the powers that be, having got their 'popular election', will now settle back into their comfort zones." Despite similarities between Khatami and Rohani's upset election victories, political realities "are fundamentally different", said Yasmin Alem, a U.S.-based Iran expert. "The supreme leader is more powerful, the Revolutionary Guards are more influential, and the conservatives are more in control. However, Rohani is a crafty statesman and stands a better chance ... of navigating Iran's political minefield." Rohani has a tough task ahead of him dealing with Iran's myriad domestic and foreign policy problems, she said. "Iranian voters should demonstrate the same maturity and patience they did at the polls, if they want to avoid the disillusionment that followed Khatami's presidency." Rohani himself called for patience soon after his win was announced on Saturday. "The country's problems won't be solved overnight and this needs to happen gradually and with consultation with experts," he told the state news agency IRNA. But Rohani, whose conciliatory style contrasts with the confrontational populism of Ahmadinejad, said there was a new chance "in the international arena for ... those who truly respect democracy and cooperation and free negotiation". Post-election revelers were optimistic. "I am hopeful about the future, hopeful that we will have more social freedoms, more stability in Iran, better relations with other countries and hopefully a much better economy," said Hoda, 26, from Tehran. As well as chanting "Long live Rohani!" and wishing good riddance to the current president with "Ahmadi, bye bye!", jubilant crowds did not shy from feting Mousavi, the reformist leader defeated in the election four years ago. "Mousavi, Mousavi, congratulations on your victory!" the crowds shouted. Pictures and videos of the celebrations showed more people wearing the green colors of Mousavi's 2009 campaign than Rohani's purple. Police stood by and even shared jokes with some people in the throng. Others had an ironic take on the "death to dictator" chants of the huge 2009 protests at which security forces opened fire, shouting "thank you dictator" for allowing a fair vote now. ==================== سینیٹر فیصل رضآ عابدی کا خطاب سیمینار امامِ خمینی اور اسلام کی بیداری سے ، عوام کا بھرپور استقبال میں ماضی سے ایک مثال دیتا ہوں ، جب نہ سوشل میڈیا تھا نہ آذاد ٹی وی ، جب ملعون ضیاء کا دور تھا ، اس دور میں ہم کچھ پاکستانی جب امام خمینی کے افکار سننا چاہتے تھے تو یہ ملعون بین لگا دیتا تھا ، امام خمینی کے ان فرامین نے ہی مجھے اس قابل بنایا کہ میں بر ملا امریکہ مردہ باد کا نعرہ لگاتاہوں۔ میں نے آج ایک صحافی کو جواب دیا جس نے کہا کہ خمینی کو فوت ہوئے عرصہ گزر گیا ، میں نے کہا کہ اگر آج بھی ایران پر پابندیاں موجود ہیں تو خمینی زندہ ہے۔ تمام یذید اس کے خلاف ہیں تو خمینی زندہ ہے ۔ ایرانی قوم کو اس قابل امام خمینی نے ہی بنایا کہ وہ دنیا کا مقابلہ کر رہی ہے ، احمدی نژاد جیسے صدر کے لئے ایرانی قوم جیسی قوم چاہئے ۔۔۔۔۔ اتحاد بین المسلمین کی سوچ خمینی نے دی ، آجب بھی بشارالاسد کی صورت میں ، حسن نصراللہ کی صورت میں ، رہبر کی صورت میں ، پاکستان میں آپ علماء کی صورت میں قائم ہے ، لبیک یا رسول اللہ لبیک یا حُسین کے فلک شگاف نعرے ، کل کوئٹہ میں خواتین کو شہید کیا گیا ، سلام ہے ان ماؤں پر جنہوں نے کہا کہ پاکستان پر اپنی بچیاں قربان کر دی ، اب حکمرانوں کا کام ہے کہ ہمیں بتائیں کہ انہوں نے کیا کیا؟؟ فرقہ واریت کا بانی امریکہ ہے ، جو اتحاد کا دشمن ہے ، یہ تکفیری اس کے ایجنٹ ہیں ، امریکہ نے شام میں باغیوں کی امداد کا اعلان کیا ، مصر نے مدد کا اعلان کیا باغیوں کی ، لعنت ہو ان ملعونوں پر اصل میں یہ گریٹر اسرائیل کی سازش ہے ، مسلمان کو مسلمان سے لڑایا جا رہا ہے ،یہ اسلام کی برھتی ہوئی تبلیغ سے پریشان ہیں ، ان کی سازش ہے کہ مزارات کی توہین کرو، ان کے راستے بند کرو ، تاکہ اسلام کی تبلیغ محدود ہو جائے