Reformists Split on Iran Vote After Candidates Are Banned

Facing defeat after hard-liners disqualified many of their candidates, Iranian reformists were split Sunday over whether to even participate in Friday’s parliamentary election.

Ali Akbar Mohtashamipour, spokesman for the Coalition for Iran -- a group of eight pro-reform parties that is the main reformist bloc contesting the election -- said reformists would “only form a minority” in the next assembly.

Comparing the vote to a race between two drivers -- one in a modern luxury car, the other in an old car with a flat tire -- Mohtashamipour said that even winning a minority of seats “would be a victory for the people and failure for the conservatives.”

Reformist legislator Jamileh Kadivar agreed. “Our historical duty is to defend the reforms until the last moment, even if only one of our deputies is elected,” she was quoted as saying by the liberal Etemad newspaper.

But Iran’s biggest reformist parties are boycotting the vote. The Interior Ministry said Sunday that 607 out of about 5,600 candidates approved to run had withdrawn from the race.

Reformist allies of President Mohammad Khatami hold about 200 seats in the outgoing parliament, but more than 80 reformist legislators have been barred from seeking reelection. A total of 2,500 candidates have been barred from the election by the unelected hard-line conservative Guardian Council.

Iran’s largest student movement denounced Khatami on Sunday for relenting to hard-line demands and allowing the election to proceed even though he said it would be unfair.

Students from the Office for Fostering Unity called on Iranians to boycott the vote.

“By accepting to hold this sham election ... Khatami effectively gives priority to implementing illegal demands of unelected conservatives at the cost of slaughtering justice, freedom and people’s rights,” the group said in a statement.

“The number of votes cast [Friday] will be a symbolic referendum measuring the legitimacy of the establishment in the eyes of Iranian citizens.”

A reluctant Khatami gave in to an order from Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to hold the vote but said that it would be unfair and that people had little incentive to take part.