The voting for parliamentary polls in Iran began today. Iran elections come at a time when the Islamic Republic is most vulnerable, both from the inside and from the outside. American sanctions have crippled the economy and public anger against the regime has raged on unabated.

Voting begins for Iran's parliamentary polls, 7,148 candidates in the race

Election campaigning for the upcoming polls ended in Iran. Iran elections come at a time when the Islamic Republic is most vulnerable, both from the inside and from the outside. American sanctions have crippled the economy and public anger against the regime has raged on unabated.

Iran parliamentary election today

Iran elections come at a time when the Islamic Republic is most vulnerable, both from the inside and from the outside. American sanctions have crippled the economy and public anger against the regime has raged on unabated.

Iranians will vote for the first time since US President Donald Trump pulled out of the Nuclear Deal. Whether they turn out in big numbers or not will be a referendum in itself.

This Parliamentary election of Iran is a litmus test of the people's faith in the state. It comes at a time when the sentiment against the regime is at its worst.

The confrontation with America, the economic hardship and an airline tragedy - the people's confidence in Iran's leaders is battered 
and that is set to pose the biggest problem for the authorities in this election. &nbsp;

Four years ago, things looked very different - Hassan Rouhani and his allies won big. Hopes were high that the 2015 nuclear deal would pull Iran out of political isolation, and more importantly boost the economy.

But now, the vote to pick 290 lawmakers comes after the US pulled out of the deal. Sanctions have sent the economy on a swift downward spiral over the last 2 years and the standard of living has dipped.&nbsp;

In November 2019, protests exploded across the country against fuel price hikes. Those protests turned political, with demonstrators demanding a regime change.

A crackdown by the revolutionary guards killed hundreds and thousands of others were arrested. The regime also faced major flack for the poor handling of slain General Qasem Soleimani's funeral. The stampede which occurred during his funeral killed over 50 people and more than 200 were injured.

The public is also livid over the accidental downing of the Ukrainian passenger plane last month, which killed all 176 people aboard - mainly Iranians.

After days of denial, Tehran finally put the blame on the revolutionary guards. The people of Iran are exhausted by a string of crises.&nbsp;

Around 58 million Iranians are eligible to vote - the turnout in 2012 was 66 per cent, in 2016, it reduced to 62 per cent and in 2020, it is expected to drop significantly.

Nearly half of the candidates, with moderate political views, have been rejected. Ayatollah Khamenei has ensured that hardliners dominate the field. He is Iran's highest authority and has tried to drum up the nationalistic sentiment to secure a strong turnout.

Whatever be the turnout, Iran's foreign policy or nuclear policy will remain the same because it will be Khamenei's loyalists who will be in Parliament.

Iran elections come at a time when the Islamic Republic is most vulnerable, both from the inside and from the outside. American sanctions have crippled the economy and public anger against the regime has raged on unabated.

Iran elections come at a time when the Islamic Republic is most vulnerable, both from the inside and from the outside. American sanctions have crippled the economy and public anger against the regime has raged on unabated. Iranians will vote for the first time since US President Donald Trump pulled out of the Nuclear Deal. Whether they turn out in big numbers or not will be a referendum in itself. This Parliamentary election of Iran is a litmus test of the people's faith in the state. It comes at a time when the sentiment against the regime is at its worst. The confrontation with America, the economic hardship and an airline tragedy - the people's confidence in Iran's leaders is battered and that is set to pose the biggest problem for the authorities in this election. Four years ago, things looked very different - Hassan Rouhani and his allies won big. Hopes were high that the 2015 nuclear deal would pull Iran out of political isolation, and more importantly boost the economy. But now, the vote to pick 290 lawmakers comes after the US pulled out of the deal. Sanctions have sent the economy on a swift downward spiral over the last 2 years and the standard of living has dipped. In November 2019, protests exploded across the country against fuel price hikes. Those protests turned political, with demonstrators demanding a regime change. A crackdown by the revolutionary guards killed hundreds and thousands of others were arrested. The regime also faced major flack for the poor handling of slain General Qasem Soleimani's funeral. The stampede which occurred during his funeral killed over 50 people and more than 200 were injured. The public is also livid over the accidental downing of the Ukrainian passenger plane last month, which killed all 176 people aboard - mainly Iranians. After days of denial, Tehran finally put the blame on the revolutionary guards. The people of Iran are exhausted by a string of crises. Around 58 million Iranians are eligible to vote - the turnout in 2012 was 66 per cent, in 2016, it reduced to 62 per cent and in 2020, it is expected to drop significantly. Nearly half of the candidates, with moderate political views, have been rejected. Ayatollah Khamenei has ensured that hardliners dominate the field. He is Iran's highest authority and has tried to drum up the nationalistic sentiment to secure a strong turnout. Whatever be the turnout, Iran's foreign policy or nuclear policy will remain the same because it will be Khamenei's loyalists who will be in Parliament.

US pullout from nuclear deal makes Iran elections even more crucial

Iran will vote in what could be one of its most significant parliamentary elections. The political data is suggesting that the conservatives are all set to win but in a nation, as layered as Iran there might just be a twist in the deal. Watch report:

Fineprint: Iran polls to witness very poor turnout, Over 7,000 candidates disqualified

Voting in a parliamentary election this week is "a religious duty" for Iranians, Supreme Leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-will-never-yield-to-americas-pressure-for-talks-says-president-rouhani-280967">Ayatollah Ali Khamenei</a> said on Tuesday, days before the vote seen as a referendum on the clerical establishment's popularity.

Iran's hardline Guardian Council vetting body has rejected some 6,850 moderate or conservative hopefuls in favour of hardliners from among the 14,000 applicants seeking to contest the February&nbsp;21 vote. About a third of lawmakers have also been barred from standing again.

"Today, voting is not only a revolutionary and national responsibility, but it is also a religious duty," Khamenei was quoted as saying by state television.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-no-dialogue-for-now-as-saudis-iranians-camp-on-positions-280904">Also read: No dialogue for now as Saudis, Iranians camp on positions</a>

Due to a large number of disqualified candidates, hardliners loyal to Khamenei are likely to dominate the 290-seat parliament.

Friday's vote will have no major influence on foreign affairs or Iran's nuclear policy, which is determined by Khamenei.

The final authority in Iran's complex system of clerical rule and limited democracy, Khamenei has supported the Guardian Council, saying the next parliament was no place for those scared of speaking out against foreign enemies.

"Elections are a means to strengthen the country ... A weak parliament will have long-term affects ... a weak parliament will negatively affect our fight against enemies," he said.

"The election will neutralise American's ill intentions ... the vote is the Islamic Republic's prestige."

Tensions have been high between Iran and the United States since 2018, when <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-foreign-minister-says-donald-trump-misled-by-advisors-280867">US President Donald Trump </a>exited a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, reimposing sanctions that have battered the country's economy.

In retaliation, Iran has gradually rolled back its commitments under the deal. Tehran says its steps are reversible if European parties to the agreement fulfil their promises of shielding Iran's economy from US penalties.

Pro-reform voters are dismayed by disarray in their camp and the failure of pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani to abide by an election pledge to ease social and political restrictions.

A parliament dominated by hardliners could increase pressure on Rouhani, the architect of the nuclear pact, whose performance in power has been criticized by Khamenei's influential allies.

Campaigning will end on Thursday, on the eve of the vote, for which 58 million Iranians are eligible to vote out of a population of 83 million.

Voting in a parliamentary election this week is "a religious duty" for Iranians, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday, days before the vote seen as a referendum on the clerical establishment's popularity.

Voting in a parliamentary election this week is "a religious duty" for Iranians, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday, days before the vote seen as a referendum on the clerical establishment's popularity. Iran's hardline Guardian Council vetting body has rejected some 6,850 moderate or conservative hopefuls in favour of hardliners from among the 14,000 applicants seeking to contest the February 21 vote. About a third of lawmakers have also been barred from standing again. "Today, voting is not only a revolutionary and national responsibility, but it is also a religious duty," Khamenei was quoted as saying by state television. Also read: No dialogue for now as Saudis, Iranians camp on positions Due to a large number of disqualified candidates, hardliners loyal to Khamenei are likely to dominate the 290-seat parliament. Friday's vote will have no major influence on foreign affairs or Iran's nuclear policy, which is determined by Khamenei. The final authority in Iran's complex system of clerical rule and limited democracy, Khamenei has supported the Guardian Council, saying the next parliament was no place for those scared of speaking out against foreign enemies. "Elections are a means to strengthen the country ... A weak parliament will have long-term affects ... a weak parliament will negatively affect our fight against enemies," he said. "The election will neutralise American's ill intentions ... the vote is the Islamic Republic's prestige." Tensions have been high between Iran and the United States since 2018, when US President Donald Trump exited a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, reimposing sanctions that have battered the country's economy. In retaliation, Iran has gradually rolled back its commitments under the deal. Tehran says its steps are reversible if European parties to the agreement fulfil their promises of shielding Iran's economy from US penalties. Pro-reform voters are dismayed by disarray in their camp and the failure of pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani to abide by an election pledge to ease social and political restrictions. A parliament dominated by hardliners could increase pressure on Rouhani, the architect of the nuclear pact, whose performance in power has been criticized by Khamenei's influential allies. Campaigning will end on Thursday, on the eve of the vote, for which 58 million Iranians are eligible to vote out of a population of 83 million.

Khamenei says voting in Iran's election 'a religious duty'

The forthcoming presidential election in Iran has acquired more significance than ever before. This is particularly true in the context of the fast-changing political scenario in the world in general and West Asia in particular. While the author was in the middle of this essay, the news reached about the Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baquer Qalibaf withdrawing his candidature. This will result into an even sharper contest between Hassan Rouhani and Ebrahim Raisi. With the conservatives closing their ranks, Hasan Rouhani is likely to face a tough time.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;The pace of reform which Rouhani had promised four years ago has frustrated even his core supporters; let alone fence-sitters who happen to constitute a big chunk of voters. The much hyped Rouhani-Zareef nuclear deal, it seemed, a few months back, would give Rouhani a second term. However, with the unanimous support of conservative parties to Ebrahimi Raisi, who is also likely to succeed to the position of the Supreme leader too in the event of any vacancy &ndash; the ground seemed to slip from under the feet of Rouhani.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Besides, Raisi has been the caretaker of Aastan Quds e Razavi, one of the richest trusts of the world,&nbsp; Mashhad, which houses the mausoleum of the eighth Shia imam Ali Reza and, on more than one occasion, has given loans to the Iranian government to overcome an economic crisis.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Another significant factor which might turn the table on Rouhani is the &lsquo;Syed&rsquo; background of Raisi who wears a black turban as against Rouhani&rsquo;s non-&lsquo;Syed&rsquo; background which makes him wear a white turban. A &lsquo;Syed&rsquo; is one who claims to be the descendants of the prophet and his family. Despite a majority of Iranian claiming non-Syed&rsquo; origin, the very presence of &lsquo;Syed&rsquo; has the potential of stealing the show. Hence, to undermine the chances of Raisi&rsquo;s win, which majority of the columnists predict, should be taken with a pinch of salt.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Armed with a reformist agenda and the confidence of bailing out Iran from economic sanctions, Hassan Rouhani has been lately crossing the red line, and making frontal attacks on the Revolutionary guards, military establishment and Basij. Rouhani said in some of the election meetings that &ldquo;words like freedom and reform have no meaning when it comes out from the mouth of those who know nothing except gallows and sewing of tongue&rdquo;. This is in reference to Ebrahim Raisi&#39;s image as a hanging judge who had a record of sending dissidents to the gallows. It will be hard to deny that Iran has moved along a path of an irreversible reform process and the very image of Ebrahim Raisi is likely to mar his candidature.

&nbsp;

In 2009 election, the author of this piece witnessed this kind of aggressive campaign between Mir Husain Moosvi and Mahmood Ahmadinejad on the streets of Tehran, Qum and Mashhad. To score points over Ahmadinejad, Mir Husain Moosvi coined the slogan &ldquo;Yak ya Husain ta Mir Husain&rdquo; meaning &ldquo;from one Husain to another one&rdquo;, which backfired.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The result of the election in all likelihood will prove to be a referendum on the nuclear deal. The change of guard at Washington and the subsequent threats dished out to Iran on a weekly basis from the Trump administration has given an upper hand to the conservatives. Apart from the nuclear deal, the other crucial issue at the core of the election campaign is the fast-changing West Asian politics.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;The ongoing war in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and perpetual tension with Saudi Arabia has increased the Shia-Sunni divide like never before. How successfully Rouhani and Zareef disengage Iran from the quagmire of West Asia is to be seen in the event of their victory. Mahmud Ahmadinejad, the former president, who withdrew his candidature in compliance of the order of the Supreme leader, had said that Iran must review its policy in Syria and West Asia and try to solve the crisis.

&nbsp;

Lastly, one important component influencing the election has been the &lsquo;Bazaar&rsquo; and the gossip and discourse taking place therein. Several types of researches on the pre and post-revolutionary Iran has underlined the all-pervasive role of &lsquo;Bazaar&rsquo;; in most of the towns of Iran, the &lsquo;Bazaar&rsquo; people decide the drift of the political discourse.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Last year, I talked to many people in Bazaars of Mashhad, Qum and Tehran and came to the conclusion that many of those who have not seen the benefits following the easing of the sanction, is of the opinion that Iran has sacrificed too much to get too little. Particularly, the lower middle-class people and those from the countryside, who have a firm belief on Velayat e Faqih (the rule of the jurist) as a matter of Shia Twelver creed, ask the following question &ldquo;were Ayatollah Khomeini alive, what would he have done; supported the US intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan? supported or opposed Bashar al-Assad or succumbed to signing the nuclear deal?&rdquo;. The reformists, who are now facing stiff competition, are of the view that in the given circumstances, the deal gave the best bargain for Iran and in the future, rather than confrontation, cooperation with the western powers would solve most of the economic problems of Iran.

&nbsp;

The next challenge for the winner would be to balance the dominating influence of Israel in the region. What kind of policy Iran pursue vis-&agrave;-vis Hamas under Ismael Haniyah and Hezbollah will have to be keenly watched by the West Asian experts.

&nbsp;

One point which could not be ignored, and which has also been substantiated by a WikiLeaks document is when a Saudi diplomat was heard speaking to an American diplomat that &ldquo;you cannot match the perseverance of a nation whose carpet weaver dedicate around ten years of their life in weaving a single carpet&rdquo;. Hence, it is better to cut off the &ldquo;head of the serpent&rdquo;, rather than allowing them to go for negotiation. It is for time to tell, who among Raisi or Rouhani successfully executes Iranian diplomacy to prevent the cutting off of the proverbial &ldquo;head of the serpent&rdquo;. This election is all about this.

The pace of reform which Rouhani had promised four years ago has frustrated even his core supporters

The forthcoming presidential election in Iran has acquired more significance than ever before. This is particularly true in the context of the fast-changing political scenario in the world in general and West Asia in particular. While the author was in the middle of this essay, the news reached about the Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baquer Qalibaf withdrawing his candidature. This will result into an even sharper contest between Hassan Rouhani and Ebrahim Raisi. With the conservatives closing their ranks, Hasan Rouhani is likely to face a tough time. The pace of reform which Rouhani had promised four years ago has frustrated even his core supporters; let alone fence-sitters who happen to constitute a big chunk of voters. The much hyped Rouhani-Zareef nuclear deal, it seemed, a few months back, would give Rouhani a second term. However, with the unanimous support of conservative parties to Ebrahimi Raisi, who is also likely to succeed to the position of the Supreme leader too in the event of any vacancy – the ground seemed to slip from under the feet of Rouhani. Besides, Raisi has been the caretaker of Aastan Quds e Razavi, one of the richest trusts of the world, Mashhad, which houses the mausoleum of the eighth Shia imam Ali Reza and, on more than one occasion, has given loans to the Iranian government to overcome an economic crisis. Another significant factor which might turn the table on Rouhani is the ‘Syed’ background of Raisi who wears a black turban as against Rouhani’s non-‘Syed’ background which makes him wear a white turban. A ‘Syed’ is one who claims to be the descendants of the prophet and his family. Despite a majority of Iranian claiming non-Syed’ origin, the very presence of ‘Syed’ has the potential of stealing the show. Hence, to undermine the chances of Raisi’s win, which majority of the columnists predict, should be taken with a pinch of salt. Armed with a reformist agenda and the confidence of bailing out Iran from economic sanctions, Hassan Rouhani has been lately crossing the red line, and making frontal attacks on the Revolutionary guards, military establishment and Basij. Rouhani said in some of the election meetings that “words like freedom and reform have no meaning when it comes out from the mouth of those who know nothing except gallows and sewing of tongue”. This is in reference to Ebrahim Raisi's image as a hanging judge who had a record of sending dissidents to the gallows. It will be hard to deny that Iran has moved along a path of an irreversible reform process and the very image of Ebrahim Raisi is likely to mar his candidature. In 2009 election, the author of this piece witnessed this kind of aggressive campaign between Mir Husain Moosvi and Mahmood Ahmadinejad on the streets of Tehran, Qum and Mashhad. To score points over Ahmadinejad, Mir Husain Moosvi coined the slogan “Yak ya Husain ta Mir Husain” meaning “from one Husain to another one”, which backfired. The result of the election in all likelihood will prove to be a referendum on the nuclear deal. The change of guard at Washington and the subsequent threats dished out to Iran on a weekly basis from the Trump administration has given an upper hand to the conservatives. Apart from the nuclear deal, the other crucial issue at the core of the election campaign is the fast-changing West Asian politics. The ongoing war in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and perpetual tension with Saudi Arabia has increased the Shia-Sunni divide like never before. How successfully Rouhani and Zareef disengage Iran from the quagmire of West Asia is to be seen in the event of their victory. Mahmud Ahmadinejad, the former president, who withdrew his candidature in compliance of the order of the Supreme leader, had said that Iran must review its policy in Syria and West Asia and try to solve the crisis. Lastly, one important component influencing the election has been the ‘Bazaar’ and the gossip and discourse taking place therein. Several types of researches on the pre and post-revolutionary Iran has underlined the all-pervasive role of ‘Bazaar’; in most of the towns of Iran, the ‘Bazaar’ people decide the drift of the political discourse. Last year, I talked to many people in Bazaars of Mashhad, Qum and Tehran and came to the conclusion that many of those who have not seen the benefits following the easing of the sanction, is of the opinion that Iran has sacrificed too much to get too little. Particularly, the lower middle-class people and those from the countryside, who have a firm belief on Velayat e Faqih (the rule of the jurist) as a matter of Shia Twelver creed, ask the following question “were Ayatollah Khomeini alive, what would he have done; supported the US intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan? supported or opposed Bashar al-Assad or succumbed to signing the nuclear deal?”. The reformists, who are now facing stiff competition, are of the view that in the given circumstances, the deal gave the best bargain for Iran and in the future, rather than confrontation, cooperation with the western powers would solve most of the economic problems of Iran. The next challenge for the winner would be to balance the dominating influence of Israel in the region. What kind of policy Iran pursue vis-à-vis Hamas under Ismael Haniyah and Hezbollah will have to be keenly watched by the West Asian experts. One point which could not be ignored, and which has also been substantiated by a WikiLeaks document is when a Saudi diplomat was heard speaking to an American diplomat that “you cannot match the perseverance of a nation whose carpet weaver dedicate around ten years of their life in weaving a single carpet”. Hence, it is better to cut off the “head of the serpent”, rather than allowing them to go for negotiation. It is for time to tell, who among Raisi or Rouhani successfully executes Iranian diplomacy to prevent the cutting off of the proverbial “head of the serpent”. This election is all about this.

Iran elections: Raisi's ?Syed? background may tilt the balance

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