RoozOnline spoke with Azar Mansuri, the political deputy of the reformist Participation Front party regarding the forthcoming presidential election in Iran and whether former President Mohammad Khatami would run in the race. He believes that “The plan is that Ahmadinejad will remain as the next President.” Here are the details.
Rooz (R): Ms Mansuri, at its eleventh Congress, Iran Participation Front (IPF) decided to support Khatami in the next presidential race, also determining to start the work of the elections headquarters. When exactly will these offices start their work?
Azar Mansuri (AM): Legally we are not yet allowed to create a campaign office, until the legal obstacles are removed.
R: But this is your decision in your own congress.
AM: What is meant by offices is the activation of the work of the various parts of the party in relation to the elections which is the work of the permanent election office. Right now the office is preparing the grounds to be able to operate across the country. We have already approved different strategies for the different scenarios with the goal of winning the election.
R: What in your view are the conditions for holding the elections?
AM: With the resources that they have at their disposal, government agencies have completed plans so that nobody other than Ahmadinejad will be the next president. A good example is the state radio and television network. The goal of this network during the Khatami administration was to weaken the reform government of the time while today it justifies the weaknesses and failures of Mr. Ahmadinejad and the administration. The Ministry of Interior which is in charge of implementing the elections is led by officials who cannot be trusted. After removing Mr. Pourmohammadi, the President first proposed Mr. Kardan to replace him, who was rejected even by members of the conservative eight Majlis. The Mahsuli is introduced to the Majlis for approval who wins through fraud. If the administration was not aiming to rig the elections, these recent events would not have taken place the Ministry of Interior. So our strategy is to first take control of such events which is why we support Khatami. I think without him, it would be very difficult to deal with the government’s violations.
R: Do you have backup plans if Khatami decides not to run?
AM: If new conditions emerge and Mr. Khatami decides not to participate, we have envisioned contingencies which we shall implement at the right time, while our hope is that we will not have to.
R: So you are thinking of a coalition as well?
AM: Clearly our most important strategy is to unite with others to form a coalition because any participation in the elections without a coalition would not be productive for reformists.
R: And what if conditions for reformers to participate do not emerge?
AM: If things go that way there will be no hope for reformers. I think the best scenario fro reformers is that we get into a bi-polar race between Khatami and Ahmadinejad.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
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