Conservatists Win Again

Iran’s Majlis Elections Finalized

With the run off elections held last Friday, the dossier of the run off elections for the ‎eight Majlis (Iran’s Parliament) is closed. According to the final results, Elias Naderan, ‎Laleh Eftekhari, Mehdi Kutchakzadeh, ALireza Zakani, Ali Asghar Zarei, Tabibeh ‎Safayi, Parviz Sarvari, Hamid Rasayi, Hossein Fadayi Ashtiani, Zohreh Elahian were ‎among the Principalists (as the ideologues supporting the President are called) in Tehran ‎who found their way to the legislative body. Alireza Mahjoob was the only reformist ‎candidate along with the 22 others from the first round of elections who won a seat in the ‎Majlis. According to Aftab news website of the 25 million potential voters in these ‎elections, less than 15 percent actually cast their ballots.‎

An analysis published on Raja news site which is close to President Ahmadinejad ‎claimed the results to be not just a victory of the conservatists over the reformers, but also ‎a victory of pro-government conservatists over critical conservatists who had supported ‎Rezayi, Qalibaf and Larijani in the first round of elections on March 14, 2008.‎

Yesterday Mostafa Pourmohammadi who lost his cabinet post because of the first round ‎of Majlis elections on March 14, 2008, spoke to reporters about his views on the ‎elections. “287 Majlis seats have been finalized of which about 69 percent belong to ‎those that known as the Principalists (conservatist ideologues), 16.38 percent belong to ‎the reformists and the remaining 14.29 percent are independents,” he said. ‎

While a number of sites wrote about the “absolute defeat” for the reformists, Seyed ‎Safdar Hosseini, the head of the provincial committee of the reformist’s coalition spoke ‎of a “categorical victory” of the reformists in the run off elections. Without providing any ‎statistics for Tehran, he said, “We succeeded in winning categorically in many provinces ‎and towns and sending Messer Ansari from Zanjan, Torabifrom Shahr Kord, Alipour ‎from Lordegan, Kaabi from Abadan, Nasiripour from Sarab and Shooshtari from ‎Ghoochan, among others, to the eight Majlis and the final results for these will be ‎announced subsequently. Of the remaining 28 seats for the reformers during the run off ‎elections of April 25, 2008, 15 candidates have so far won seats in the provinces and will ‎thus go to the Majlis.”‎

In a related news, Masood Soltanifar, an officer in the Etemad Melli (National Trust) ‎party elections campaign told ISNA student news agency, “Two thirds of the candidates ‎put forward by Etemad Melli which account for 16 individuals from amongst 24, have ‎found their way to the Majlis. They are from the election districts of Chaloos and ‎Nowshahr, Yazd, Zanjan, Lordegan, Bandar Torkaman and Kordkui, Kermanshah, ‎Zanjan, Sarab, Mianeh, Ghoochan, Abadeh, Gonbad Kawoos, Shiraz, Sanandaj, Tabriz ‎and Shahre Kord in which they won majority votes.”‎

The first round of elections was held on March 14 and was followed by serious ‎accusations and complaints of “extensive rigging” announced by reform candidates. Two ‎senior clerics in the Islamic Republic (khatami and karubi)even filed official complaints ‎to the head of the Guardians Council that oversees and supervises all national elections ‎and requested recounts. While their request was ignored, Mehdi Karubi requested that the ‎Ministry of the Interior take greater care should be taken in the counting of votes for the ‎run off elections that were held on April 25th, 2008. Mr. Pourmohammadi from the ‎ministry had responded that “Mr. Karubi can sleep tight” as he was certain the elections ‎would be held with full integrity. Still Aftab news website reported that during the ballot ‎counting the Reformers’ Elections Campaign had called the results “wary”.‎

A More Intense Cultural Revolution

Universities under Fire by Ay Mesbah Yazdi

As the government’s pressure on university students takes new forms every day, ‎ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi who is considered by some to be the spiritual force behind the ‎current administration of president Ahmadinejad, in his most recent remarks said students ‎‎“are learning nothing other than how to bash the regime and at times Islam.”‎
In its report on the meeting between the central council of Imam Khomeini Aid ‎Committee (Komiteh Emdad Imam Khomeini) and ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi, the news ‎unit of Qom’s Theological Center quotes the head of the director of Imam Khomeini ‎Educational and Research center Mesbah Yazdi, “The future generation is under threat ‎because neither traditional and classical ethics nor Islamic values dominate their training. ‎They are being trained by Western culture, television and university classes in which they ‎are learning nothing other how to bash the regime and at times Islam.”‎
To correct the situation, the ayatollah recommends, “Authorities must acquire the ‎necessary skills and learn of better methods, … and analyze the cultural and international ‎position of the country scientifically (rationally).
We must strengthen this new generation ‎and have a role in their religious education. Islamic and modern teaching methods must ‎be used to train the young generation because if these two elements are not used there ‎would be conflict.”‎

In its report on Yazdi’s comments, Advar News website which is run by a group of ‎dissident students writes, “Mesbah’s comments come at a time when the current ninth ‎administration launched intense efforts to suppress universities from day one. Forced ‎retirement of university teachers, their firings, and efforts to keep students critical of ‎university policies outside the institution or imprisoning them are the examples of the ‎administration’s policies regarding universities and students.”‎

According to this news site, “the criticism over teaching content and what is said in the ‎classrooms is an indication of the displeasure of the spiritual leader of the current ‎administration, an issue that has been mentioned repeatedly by the press under the guise ‎of the second Cultural Revolution.”‎

If Israel Attacks, It Will be Destroyed ‎

Iran's Deputy Army Chief

On the eve of the Islamic Republic's Army Day, Iran's deputy army chief said that an ‎Israeli assault on Iran would bring about the annihilation of Israel. Speaking to a group ‎of reporters, General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani boasted the army's high morale and ‎determination to carry out its missions in accordance with the policies of Ahmadinejad. ‎
General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani spent a majority of his speech commenting on Israel’s ‎recent military maneuver. In this respect, Ashtiani said, “If Israel wants to carry out any ‎kind of move against the Islamic Republic of Iran, we will annihilate it from the face of ‎the planet.” ‎
According to the deputy chief of Iran's army, “Israel lacks strategic boundaries and is ‎extremely vulnerable. It demonstrated that vulnerability in its 33-day war against ‎Lebanon.” ‎
Implicitly referring to the long range of newly-developed missiles in Iran, Ashtiani said, ‎‎“Even if other countries dare to attack us, the Israelis definitely know their place, which ‎is in our reach, and will be most harmed by an attack. The involvement of the Zionist ‎regime in an expedition will create an unbalanced regional atmosphere.” ‎
In its meeting with reporters, Ashtiani also revealed details about Iran’s military ‎capabilities, including the use of new weapons: “in our ground force units, given our ‎presence in border areas, we have used new, innovative weapons and implemented ‎diverse tactics in order to transition from the conduct of orderly warfare into asymmetric ‎warfare. In addition, our military and defensive capabilities are such that we are certain ‎no country will allow itself to engage us on the ground.” ‎
Deputy chief of the Iranian army noted, “In the air force, we have emphasized the ‎development, innovation and preparation of new airplanes, as well as the use of ‎innovative tactics, such as increasing the culture of martyrdom among air force pilots.” ‎Ashtiani added, “In air force, we are completely prepared and alert to defend the nation’s ‎air space. In the navy, our submarines are completely superior.” ‎
Deputy chief of the Iranian army said, “Among other important steps taken by the Iranian ‎army are the design and production of submarines in different tonnages, which is very ‎important for future military equations; design and production of various radar and ‎electronic systems; production of various kinds of unmanned planes; and putting especial ‎emphasis on the production of cheaper, lighter and smarter weapons.” ‎