Iran’s presidential elections are just over a month away. Here’s a round up of news about the major candidates (Ahmadinejad, Mousavi, Karrubi, Rezai):
- Ham-Mihan reports Ahmadinejad’s nepotism in appointments:
- 1. Elder brother of the Iranian president Davoud Ahmadinejad: Presidency Chief Inspector
- 2. Cabinet Secretary Masoud Zaribafan, husband of Ahmadinejad’s sister
- 3. Social Security Organization Director General, Tehran Province Physical Training Chief, Ali-Reza Madadi who is the son of brother of above mentioned Zaribafan
- 4. Mehr-e Reza governmental charity organization chief Hossein Shabiri, husband of Ahmadinejad’s sister
- 5. The Presidency’s Women Affair’s Deputy Parvin Ahmadinejad, the president’s sister
- 6. Social Security Organization Executive Director Davoud Madadi, a relative of Zaribafan
- 7. Cooperatives Minister Nazemi Ardakani husband of aunt of Zaribafan’s son in law
- 8. Former Economy and Finance Minister Davoud Danesh-Ja’fari, son of the aunt of the father of Zaribafan’s son-in-law
- 9. Former Law Enforcement Forces Chief, Esmail Ahmadi-Mohghaddam who is a distant relative of Ahmadinejad…
- Ham-Mihan discloses corruption in Tehran Physical Training Organization headed by Ali-Reza Madadi, a relative of Ahmadinejad.
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- Ham-Mihan discloses corruption in Tehran Physical Training Organization headed by Ali-Reza Madadi, a relative of Ahmadinejad.
- Grand Ayatollahs Sanei, Mousavi Ardebili and Makarem Shirazi demand change in state of affairs, indirectly criticize the Ahmadinejad government.
- The elites of the Principalist movement will get together in the home of Martyr Mottahari to discuss which candidate to support. According to E’temad-e Melli, this council is composed of Ali-Akbar Nateq Nouri, Ali-Akbar Velayati, Ali Ardeshir Larijani, Mohammad-Reza Bahonar, Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf and Ali Mottahari. According to E’temad-e Melli, Mohsen Rezai has not been discussed as a serious candidate by the council.
- Rezai speaks at Martyr Chamran University in Ahwaz, says his withdrawal from the 2005 presidential elections reflected his protest against the elections.
- Rezai says he will not enter a tactical alliance with any other candidate.
- Rezai confirms information in the memoirs of Rafsanjani and Nateq Nouri that he on several occasions asked the late Leader of the Revolution Khomeini to keep Mir-Hossein Mousavi as Prime Minister.
- Rezai presents his wife to the public following the example of Mir-Hossein Mousavi who is followed by his wife at rallies and public meetings.
- According to Kalameh News, a four pages pamphlet propagating for Ahmadinejad and attacking “twenty of his enemies” was distributed at the Tehran Friday prayers led by Ayatollah Jannati. The pamphlet’s harshest attacks are directed against Ahmadinejad’s rivals Mehdi Karrubi and Mir-Hossein Mousavi
- Ahmadinejad supporter Hojjat al-Eslam Hamid Rasayi accuses the reform movement of “instigating a coup against the regime every ninth day” and says “the institutions of the revolution such as the Guards and the Basij have all been subjected to the attacks of the reform movement.” Rasayi also defends the Ahmadinejad campaign’s distribution of potatoes and cash at campaign rallies.
- Guardian Council Secretary Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati speaking from the podium of the Tehran Friday Prayer says votes which are given through “threats” or “incentives” will be annulled.
- Farzand-e Mellat [Son of the Nation], a compilation of memoirs and miraculous events foretelling Ahmadinejad’s victory available for download. (And here) Also for mobile phones.
- Ahmadinejad visits the national Elections Headquarters.
- Ahmadinejad and Mohsen Rezai register as candidates.
- Ayandeh News discloses the names of the Ahmadinejad’s entourage when he registered for at Interior Ministry: “Elham, Kalhor, Zaribafan, Sa’id-Lou, Shekh al-Eslam, Mashayi and Samareh Hashemi.”
- After registering, Ahmadinejad says he has absolutely no economic means for campaigning, but “I also see no reason why money should be used for campaign.”
- Mehdi Karrubi appoints Ayatollah Mohsen Mousavi Tabrizi as his political and cultural advisor
- Karrubi defends his deputy Gholam-Hossein Karbaschi and says the legal process which led to his dismissal as Tehran mayor was politically motivated.
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- Karrubi’s entourage during election registration consisted of Gholam-Hossein Karbaschi, Abbas Abdi, Jamileh Kadivar and some other campaign headquarters staff.
- Mohammad Khatami’s sister Maryam Khatami praises Karrubi.
- Office of Strengthening of Unity student organization declares its support for Karrubi.
- According to E’temad’e Melli, the supervisory function of the Guardian Council in presidential elections has led to a trend where “reformist individuals whose revolutionary record is clear and have a long record of self-sacrifice are excluded from elections. At the same time, a few individuals from the Principalist camp have experienced trouble when it comes to getting qualified for elections. Continuity of this trend has been so that the reformists are usually totally ignorant [of their being approved of or disqualified by the Guardian Council] until a few days before the names of the candidates being announced by the Council. They don’t know if their candidacy is going to be approved of or not. The Principalists on the other hand do not at all have such trouble. During the eight parliamentary elections, even the cabinet ministers of the Khatami government were disqualified for parliamentary elections by the Guardian Council.” But Head of the Society of Theological Scholars at the Theological Seminary of Qom Mohammad Yazdi, during a conversation with the Australian ambassador to Tehran, condemns those who consider the Guardian Council’s performance with regard to vetting the presidential candidates as a great insult towards this institution and says: “Those who have such an idea speak with no proof.”
- Presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi explains why he resigned as Prime Minister.
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- Karrubi defends his deputy Gholam-Hossein Karbaschi and says the legal process which led to his dismissal as Tehran mayor was politically motivated.
o Shahab News runs a backgrounder on Zohreh Kazemi, (Zahra Rahnavard), wife of presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi.
- Ham-Mihan gives background on Mousavi’s wife, Zahra Rahnavard.
- Ham-Mihan likens Mousavi’s wife to Michelle Obama.
- Mowj News discusses Mousavi campaign’s use of green to symbolize his status as a descendant of the prophet Muhammad.
- First statements of Mousavi after his registration at the Interior Ministry.
- Mouavi’s supporters consistently chant a revised version of a revolution-era slogan “Toup, tank, basiji, digar asar nadarad” [Canons, tanks, Basijis no longer work] at Mousavi’s public appearances.
- Mousavi, speaking at Tehran University, expresses concern about brain drain, restricted academic freedom and lack of involvement of experts in administering the country.
- Adds: “If the government knew what 25 percent inflation means it would not travel from province to province, but would do something to solve the problem.”
- School Teacher’s Association of Iran declares its support for Mousavi.