Iran's Islamic rulers, confounding predictions that they would not survive the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, appear firmly in control four years after his death. Presidential elections are being held in Iran this Friday (June 11). Three candidates are challenging President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, but it is unlikely that any will be able to topple him. Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, himself a cleric, is believed to be certain to win an election on June 11 and serve a second four-year term. Today, Khomeini's legacy continues to exert a big influence on Iranian society. Many Iranians still flock to the shrine of the man they called father, on the outskirts of Tehran. But radicals who consider themselves Khomeini's true heirs have lost much of their influence. After parliamentary elections last year, Iran's 270-seat Majlis (Parliament) is largely dominated by Rafsanjani's supporters. He still enjoys the backing of the country's current spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Rafsanjani's three rivals in next Friday's poll are widely seen as lacklustre figures who have no power base and are considered little more than token opponents. Rafsanjani was elected in July 1989 as the people's champion, committed to bringing in far-reaching reforms and rebuilding a country ravaged by the 1980-88 war with Iraq. A low turnout on Friday among Iran's 30 million-strong electorate could seriously weaken his mandate for economic reform and strengthen the hand of his opponents. The once powerful former interior minister and sponsor of Lebanon's Hizbollah, Ali Akbar Mohtashemi, recently blamed the government for economic failures. He has called government policies "disastrous". Rafsanjani has staked everything on turning the economy around from the wreckage of the war with Iraq. Economic liberalisation has revived the bustle in Tehran's streets. Shops and the capital's bazaar display a variety of home produce and imported goods. The Tehran stock exchange, reopened in 1989, has increased its turnover eight-fold in the past year. But Iran's continued international isolation and lack of foreign investment have so far prevented any real and sustainable economic recovery. Low world oil prices have hit revenues and the country's budget deficit is increasing. The main opposition movement, the Iraq-based Mujahideen Khalq and its National Liberation Army (NLA), are stepping up attacks on the authorities in Tehran. Iran retaliated for what it said were cross-border Mujahideen raids by bombing their bases inside Iraq on May 25, fanning tension along the 1,160-kilometre (730-mile) frontier. Externally, relations with Britain remain cold after Khomeini's fatwa, or Islamic death sentence on the author Salman Rushdie, who was accused of blasphemy. Rafsanjani last week called again on the United States (U.S.) to review its attitude to Iran and show goodwill towards Tehran. But a breakthrough appears impossible. U.S. President Bill Clinton and his new administration have branded Iran an outlaw state which supports international terrorism. Washington is trying to isolate Iran and block its access to international assistance. It accuses Iran of embarking on a massive re-arming programme and seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. Barring unforseeable events, Rafsanjani is likely to take the oath of office for a second four-year term. He will need all his political skills to steer Iran to recovery and acceptance among the community of nations.
Date:01/08/1989
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Iranian President Ahmadinejad Refuses To Answer Question About Weaponizing Nuclear Materialby MoxNewsDotCom19,450 views
Way back, wheb everything was still hunky dory between Rafsanjani and Khamenei.
PayameVatan 2 years ago