PHOTO: Tehran Friday Prayer leader Ayatollah Emami Kashani

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• Bahrain's Gulf Air Suspends Flights to Iran
• Supreme Leader Admits, "Some Iranians Might Not Accept Me"
• Award-Winning Poet Sedighi Arrested

Trying to limit the fallout from last weekend's attack on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran, Iran's clerics suggested on Friday that the "enemy" had staged the protests which burned and ransacked part of the complex.

The attack has fed a dispute within the regime over the downturn in Iran-Saudi relations, including the breaking of diplomatic relations by Riyadh and several other countries. President Rouhani has pressed for an investigation to identify those responsible --- which could include elements within the regime --- while others have tried to maintain the focus on Saudi "crimes", including Riyadh's role in regional crises in Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain.

In the Tehran Friday Prayer, Ayatollah Emami Kashani suggested that Saudi Arabia, seeking a diplomatic row with Iran "from the beginning", and its allies arranged the Embassy assault:

It is clear that the attack on the Saudi embassy in Iran was carried out on behalf of infiltrators. Perhaps they used ignorant people in this attack....[They] guided and led this offense and wanted this to happen in order to throw the ball that had fallen into the Saudi court [with the execution of 47 detainees] back into Iran’s court.

That way the enemy could have the higher hand and could then move to sever diplomatic relations with Iran.

Emami Kashani blamed "young and ignorant rulers" in the region and claimed “three pillars” of “plots” against Islam: Saudi Arabia, "the planners" of Israel, and the "investors" of the US.

The line was echoed in the Friday Prayer in Qazvin. Ayatollah Abedini aruged, “Perhaps the Saudis wanted to commit some mischief from inside the embassy....We do not want officials to underestimate the mischief of America and the Saudis.”

A Week of Turmoil

Hours after Saudi Arabia executed 47 detainees including a prominent Shia cleric last Saturday, a crowd gathered in front of the embassy and threw Molotov cocktails before raiding some offices. The protest appeared to have been supported by elements within the regime, with security being withdrawn just before the demonstrators assembled.

On Sunday, as Saudi Arabia cut relations with Iran, President Rouhani said the attack by "extremists" was "unjustified". Initially, his call was overshadowed by anti-Saudi rhetoric, including the Supreme Leader's equation of Riyadh and the Islamic State.

By the next day, even the Revolutionary Guards were suggesting that the protests were not spontaneous --- as the regime initially claimed --- but organized by some deviant group.

Trying to take control of the issue from hardliners, Rouhani called on the head of judiciary to launch an investigation to identify and punish the perpetrators. At the same time, the Cabinet banned imports from Saudi Arabia.

(Hat tip to Iran Tracker for translations)

Bahrain's Gulf Air Suspends Flights to Iran

Supreme Leader Admits, "Some Iranians Might Not Accept Me"

Urging Iranians to vote in February's elections, the Supreme Leader has made an unprecedented admission, "There might be people not accepting me, but they also participate."

Speaking in the holy city of Qom, Ayatollah Khamenei said before 2013's Presidential ballot that some in Iran might not believe in the Islamic Republic, but this is the first time that he has said they might not accept his leadership.

The February elections are for Parliament and the Assembly of Experts, the body that chooses the Supreme Leader. They have prompted bitter in-fighting within the regime between hardliners and supporters of President Rouhani and former President Hashemi Rafsanjani.

The Supreme Leader effectively supported the hardline rhetoric of a "sedition" threatening the Islamic Republic by referring to the disputed 2009 Presidential election and the mass protests that followed it: "The 2009 post-election event was an unsuccessful color revolution coup d'etat."

Like the hardliners, he linked this to a warning about this year's vote:

A widespread front of enemy is standing before us, from heads of the Zionist regime and US Government to Daesh [the Islamic State] and Takfiri agents. All their analyses are focused on ways to uproot the robust tree of the Islamic Revolution.

Award-Winning Poet Sedighi Arrested

Follow the developments in our Iran Today section, latest analysis. and latest feature on the Presidential debates.

New to the election and/or Iran? Get up to speed with our Animated Guide and our special section, with a description of the process and details of the key factions.

Ali Larijani & The Supreme Leader --- Credit: Mehr News

Parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani chose not to stand in this year's Presidential election. But far from withdrawing from the political scene, Larijani may have made a shrewd move which stands to increase his power after June 14.

Rouhani Tells Supporters: "The People Don't Want [The Incumbent Government] Anymore!

Moderate candidate Hassan Rouhani has tweeted a video --- with English subtitles --- of Friday's campaign rally in Tehran showing his supporters cheering as he tells them: "The people don't want you [the incumbent government] any more…. God is Greatest! God is Greatest!"

Rouhani tells the crowd:

"All of us…. we seek change…. prudence and hope [the slogan of the Rouhani campaign].

Presidential Election Watch: Jalili Edition

Saeed Jalili has commented on Iran's sovereignty over three disputed islands in the Persian Gulf --- Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs --- saying that they are an integral part of Iran.

We have no joke about our islands as we have no joke about our legitimate right for peaceful nuclear program. #Iranelection #Jalili

— Saeed Jalili (@DrSaeedJalili) June 9, 2013

The islands are disputed with the United Arab Emirates.

Jalili also cautioned Iranians about the dire consequences of doubt and cynicism, saying that the enemy was attempting to undermine the country's strengths after realizing their "anti-Iran propaganda" was going nowhere.

BBC Persian reported that in his television documentary, Jalili revealed details of the arrest of Jundallah leader Abdul Malik Rigi.

Fars: Guardian Council May Disqualify Moderate Rouhani

In an indication of growing concern over the campaign of moderate Hassan Rouhani, Fars News --- close to the Revolutionary Guards --- has declared, from an "informed source", that the Guardian Council will discuss the candidacy tomorrow.

The source said the Council will re-examine Rouhani's qualifications, considering charges that he is being supported by leaders of "sedition" and lawlessness.

"Issues Protesters Raised Are Still Very Much Alive"

EA WorldView's Scott Lucas concludes a Washington Post feature, "Iran's Fragmented Opposition":

Is there still an organized Green Movement? No. Whatever was there, the authorities have been successful in breaking it up with detentions and crackdowns.

But the issues the protesters raised --- accountability, political transparency, reforms, openness --- are still there and very much alive. They just have no cohesive [means for expression.

Authorities Block Memorials for Ayatollah after Isfahan Protests

Following last week's outburst of protest during a funeral march, memorial services for reformist Ayatollah Jalaleddin Taheri have been cancelled in Tehra and Qom.

The Qom service was scheduled for Friday, but was blocked by authorities. The opposition Kaleme website said the memorial will now only take place in Najafabad.

In Isfahan, some mourners broke into chants calling for freedom for detained opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi and, referring to the Supreme Leader, shouted, "Death to the dictator."

Ayatollah Taheri critised the regime's response to protests after the Presidential election in 2009, which he said was fraudulent.

Abrar Newspaper Raided, Suspended

The Abrar daily newspaper has stopped publication after its office was raided and sealed.

The last post on the Abrar website is from Monday.

Conservative Clerics Support Velayati?

According to Fars, Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi has said that the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom supports the Supreme Leader's senior advisor Ali Akbar Velayati for the Presidency.

However, according to Radio France International's Persian channel, Ayatollah Rajabi has said that "not even 1/3" of the Seminary's members endorse Velayati.

Rezaei: Youth Are Asset And Resource

Independent Presidential candidate Mohsen Rezaei said Saturday that Iran's youth an "asset and a resource" for running the country.

In an interview on State television, Rezaei said that if elected he also planned to prepare Iranian youth for the country's future.

Rezaei also discussed a creative plan to help young people to marry by providing them with dowries of up to 23 million romans. The former IRGC commander said that his campaign team had identified factories in Iran that produce home appliances and which could provide young people with such dowries.

According to Rezaei's plan, his administration would provide these factories with money to boost their production of home appliances. In return, the factories would contribute to dowries as well as providing young people with coupons.

The full interview, in Persian, can be seen below.

Rouhani Posts Video Of Tehran Rally

Hassan Rouhani's campaign team continues to portray the moderate candidate as attracting a large amount of popular support, posting another video this morning of Saturday's rally in a Tehran stadium.

The Rouhani campaign also tweeted a link to a set of photographs taken at the event by ISNA. The photographs include this image of two women supporters, one if whom holds a picture of Rouhani with former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, while the second woman holds a folded newspaper, with a photo of Rouhani.

Credit: ISNA

Will There Be A Fourth Presidential Debate?

In the wake of Friday's third --- and supposedly final --- televised Presidential debate on State TV, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting has said it may hold a fourth event, if it gets approval.

Press TV reports that IRIB's public relations MD, Taqi Sohrabi, said that the Presidential candidates themselves as well as Iranians had asked for more debates.

Some of the Presidential candidates, however, have slammed IRIB over the debate. Independent candidate Mohsen Rezaei complained about being censored and moderate candidate Hassan Rouhani criticized the format of the debates:

The report, covering 21-27 May, concludes that the "prevailing attitude is quite negative [about the election] among those on Twitter".

Small Media found that former President Hashemi Rafsanjani was the person most "worth following" on Twitter, despite his disqualification by the Guardian Council almost a week earlier.

Saeed Jalili, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, was the subject of the most tweets; however, only 21% of the communication was positive.

Reformist candidate Mohammad-Reza Aref was the least discussed with only 331 tweets, 59% of which were deemed "neutral". On the positive side, Aref --- frequently compared to Mostafa Moein, the main reformist candidate in the 2005 election, had no negative Twitter communication and a slight surge in numbers "liking" his Facebook page.

The most popular candidate, with 63% "positive" tweets was the moderate Hassan Rouhani. "Rowhani" --- an English variant of the surname --- was also second to "Iran" as the most frequently tweeted word in the Iranian election discussion.

[Editor's Note: The report probably under-estimated Rouhani's prominence on social media. It only appears to consider the spelling "Rowhani" and not "Rouhani" or "Rohani".]

The candidate with the most negative tweets was leading MP Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, with more than half expressing disapproval. The most re-tweeted post about the candidate was: "Media frenzy says: 'Political backbenchers are useless, Haddad-Adel is useless'."

The least-known of the candidates, Mohammad Gharazi, seems to have had a late surge in support, judging from the sudden increase in his unofficial (because of the Iranian ban) Facebook page --- it doubled in followers between 21 and 27 May.

Basij leader Mohammad Reza Naqdi While there has been considerable speculation --- much in the form of polls --- about which of the eight Presidential candidates is in the lead in the run-up to the June 14 election, the question that nobody can answer is what the turnout will be on the day.

A low turnout would indicate that Iranians are either apathetic about the election or that they feel that the regime will manipulate the results, and so there is no point in voting.

Rouhani Campaign Tweets Photo Of Tehran Mass Rally, + Video of Supporters Calling For Coalition

Moderate candidate Hassan Rouhani's campaign team tweeted a photograph of a rally at Tehran's Afrasiabi stadium and a video that shows supporters calling for a coalition between Rouhani and reformist candidate Mohammad-Reza Aref.

Pro-Rouhani supporters tweeted other images of the rally, portraying a massive turnout and a surge in the support for the candidate.

Supporters of #Rouhani call for formation of coalition with #Aref (English subs, video from today) youtube.com/watch?v=XFDxyy… #hope #prudence

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 8, 2013

Pic from today's mass #rally in support of #Rouhani in Tehran's 12,000-capacity Afrasiabi @stadium. #hope #prudence twitter.com/HassanRouhani/…

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 8, 2013

Rouhani: I Had To Answer Qalibaf In Debate

An EA correspondent writes: the video below --- showing moderate candidate Hassan Rouhani in his car --- was recorded after last night's debate.

At the beginning of the video someone on the road tells Rouhani well done and the man with him says he appreciates Rouhani for the answers he gave in the debate, and asks him what he thought about it.

Rouhani says: "I didn’t want to answer him [Principlist candidate Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf] like that but when I saw that he was not telling the truth, I had to say something to make sure people understand everything properly and also for historical records.  I had so many things to say but I wanted to follow morality. Unfortunately some people place justice and truth to one side in competition."

Ahmadinejad: Nuclear Talks Have Nothing to Do With Me

Confirming what EA has said for months, President Ahmadinejad has said that he is sidelined in Iran's negotiations over its nuclear programme.

Ahmadinejad, responding to allegations in the Presidential campaign, said, "People have said [lack of progress] is the fault of the government. I am not talking about the nuclear issue and do not intervene in the case Someone else is responsible."

Presidential Election: Haddad Adel Reconfirms No "Unity" Candidate

Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel has confirmed that --- contrary to months of promises from the Supreme Leader's 2+1 Committee, of which he is a member --- there will be no "unity" candidate in Friday's first-round election.

Haddad Adel said he would not withdraw, even for fellow Committee members Ali Akbar Velayati and Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf:

Given my extensive experience and good relations with many managers, I can form a cabinet with efficient and revolutionary individuals on board. This is a reason of my decision to sign up in the first place and why I am planning to stay in the race.

Economy Watch: The Soaring Cost of Food

The BBC, citing the official Statistics Centre of Iran, offers some striking numbers about inflation between 2007 and 2013.

Sangak bread has almost doubled in cost. That, however, is only a small rise compared to a kilogramme of beef (470%), a litre of milk (350%), and a kilogramme of rice (7100%).

The national minimum wage has fallen more than 50% in real terms, while youth employment rose to 24.9% in 2012.

Has Rafsanjani Come Out In Support Of Rouhani?

Former President Hashemi Rafsanjani has said that moderate candidate Hassan Rouhani is the "best choice" of the eight Presidential candidates, Mehr News and other sources are reporting this morning.

Rafsanjani: Rouhani is the best choice among the 8 candidates. #Iranelection

— Mehr News Agency (@MehrnewsCom) June 8, 2013

The report comes amid speculation that reformist candidate Mohammad-Reza Aref may step down in favor of Rouhani, in order to unify the moderate- centrist- reformist vote behind a single candidate. As we noted in a separate analysis this morning, backing from Rafsanjani and former President Khatami will be essential if such a coalition is to take place.

Hezbollah Praises "Jalili the Resistor"

Presidential candidate and Supreme National Security Council secretary Saeed Jalili has tweeted a picture he said came from his supporters in Lebanon --- presumably Hezbollah (if the image is genuine).

پوستر ارسالی از هواداران سعید جلیلی در لبنان #Iranelection #Jalili #Iran twitter.com/DrSaeedJalili/…

— Saeed Jalili (@DrSaeedJalili) June 7, 2013

The image, in the colors of the Islamic Republic's flag, shows a photograph of a younger Jalili and the Arabic caption المقاوم --- the Resistor; the legend العدالة والحرية --- "Justice and Freedom", and then a current photograph of Jalili with the caption الدبلوماسي --- the Diplomatist.

Hanif Zarrabi-Kashani of the Wilson Center notes that the Qazvin News Network has provided short profiles of the eight candidates, with photographs of them and their children.

Mohsen Rezaei And Son

Regime "Harasses Radoio Farda Journalists"

The director of Radio Farda, Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty's Persian service, has said that harassment against his reporters has increased in recent weeks.

"The harassment has intensified in the past several weeks, as the authorities take all possible precautions against anything that may challenge their control over the elections," Armand Mostofi said.

Radio Farda said it had documented nine incidents of harassment during May, in which reporters' family members in Iran have been interrogated and asked to persuade their relatives to stop working for Radio Farda or stay but work for Iranian intelligence, RFE/ RL report.

Observations after Friday's third and final Presidential debate, following a conversation with a leading EA correspondent on Iran:

1. THE CONSERVATIVES AND PRINCIPLISTS FALL APART

The immediate headline that the debate was more interesting than the previous two, because of conflict among the eight candidates, does not begin to capture the extent of the division --- notably among those men who supposedly are close to the Supreme Leader's camp.

Our correspondent summarises, "This was a free-for-all in which all went after each other, including the [members of the Supreme Leader's] 2+1 Committee. This showed the three men of the 2+1 do not have anything in common."

One of the 2+1 members, the Supreme Leader's senior advisor Ali Akbar Velayati, criticised the others for not knowing about international affairs, advising them to read his book on the 1980s Iran-Iraq War.

Then Velayati got specific. He said that his colleague on the Committee, leading MP Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, was ignorant about diplomacy.

A heated argument followed with the third member of the 2+1, Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf. Velayati, a long-time Foreign Minister, was boasting about his contacts in the 1980s and 1990s with world leaders like France's Francois Mitterand when Qalibaf snapped, "While you were drinking with Mitterand in the Elysee Palace, we were drinking French missiles on the war front [with Iraq]."

Velayati responded that Qalibaf had no idea re history, as the "drink with Mitterand" came long after the war was over.

Velayati's most interesting clash, however, was with Saeed Jalili, the Secretary of the National Security Council and lead nuclear negotiator.

Velayati went after Jalili over the two rounds of nuclear talks with the 5+1 Powers in February and April. The Supreme Leader's aide indicated a deal was on the table --- with three European countries tabling a proposal that would have suspended three key sanctions on the Islamic Republic --- but Jalili insisted on "all or nothing".

Velayati summarised, "Negotiations is not showing up and moralising with slogans."

2. THE DIVISION AMONG SUPREME LEADER'S INNER CIRCLE OVER NUCLEAR TALKS

The Velayati-Jalili confrontation offers a wider lesson beyond this election. Far from maintaining a unified line against the "West" on the nuclear programme, the Supreme Leader's advisors have been split for years over the approach. Velayati has been among the advisors seeking an accommodation, but --- at least in his account --- has been blocked by others who have refused to conclude a deal.

In another telling passage in the debate, Velayati said that a settlement was imminent in talks in 2007 between the head of the European Union, Javier Solana, and Iran's Ali Larijani --- now Speaker of Parliament --- but this was undermined by someone, presumably President Ahmadinejad, in a speech objecting to any agreement.

Our correspondent summarises:

This display really weakened Iran's hand in the nuclear negotiations.

Imagine if you are a member of the 5+1 watching this debate. You have one faction around Ayatollah Khamenei ready to talk, but you have another refusing.

With the inner circle very divided, you don't budge --- you wait for them to crack.

3. CAN THE SUPREME LEADER RESCUE THE SITUATION?

One obvious "solution" for this division is for the regime to decide on an outcome for the first-round ballot on 14 June and then make sure it happens. In the words of our correspondent, "The elephant in the room is whether the votes which are cast are the votes which wind up in ballot box."

Specifically, our correspondent --- who has been far from impressed from Saeed Jalili, on the campaign trail or in yesterday's debate --- believes that there is no way he can be among the top two vote-getters if turnout is high. So, "if Jalili is put through to the final round in a ballot with at least 60% participation, you can bet there has been manipulation."

But, if this is being considered by the Supreme Leader's camp, there is a major problem in comparison with the 2009 election. Then, it was only a question of ensuring that a single candidate --- President Ahmadinejad --- triumphed against the opposition.

This time, it is a matter of picking one or two candidates from among four --- Velayati, Haddad Adel, Qalibaf, and Jalili --- to go to the final ballot on 28 June. That step is likely to only increase division among conservatives and principlists, with resentment among the followers of those who are not chosen.

An alternative for the Supreme Leader is to sit on his hands at this point and not express any preference, waiting to see who is strongest in the first-round ballot. There is precedent for this: Ayatollah Khamenei did not go for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad until late in the 2005 campaign, tapping him over Qalibaf.

This time, however, waiting carries the risk that the squabbling amongst those around the Supreme Leader will only get worse, shaking an already fragile election process.

4. CAN THE MODERATES AND REFORMISTS TAKE ADVANTAGE?

The failure to find a "unity" candidate has opened up space for the two men who are not as close to the Supreme Leader --- "moderate" Hassan Rouhani, an ally of former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, and reformist Mohammad Reza Aref.

The prospect of one of the two men making it to the final round --- almost unthinkable when Rafsanjani was barred from standing in the election --- is now real. While Rouhani did not capitalise on his recent surge in yesterday's debate, Aref was sharp. Our correspondent assesses, "He was sharp and did not shy away from the reformist legacy. If the election is not manipulated, that could bring support, especially among younger voters."

Reallistically, however, the best chance for Rouhani or Aref to be in the top two on 14 June is for one man to withdraw in favour of the other before the vote. Will that happen?

Our correspondent speaks bluntly:

That will only happen if former Presidents Mohammad Khatami and Rafsanjani call publicly for a coalition.

If they do so, then we may have something special in this campaign.

Although Friday's Third Presidential debate was an opportunity for the candidates to set out their views and policies on foreign policy and politics, it also provided a space to explore this factional divide.

Principlist and conservative candidates --- Ali Akbar Velayati, Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, Gholam-Ali Haddad- Adel -- used the debate to criticize the Reformists and past Reformist governments, while Reformist candidate Mohammad-Reza Aref and his moderate counterpart Hassan Rouhani slammed the Principlist movement and the current Ahmadinejad administration. Independent candidates Mohsen Rezaei and Mohammad Gharazi hit out at both factions and called for an end to factionalism.

Some of the main highlights of the debate (thanks to Al Jazeera English and Hassan Rouhani's campaign team, who live-tweeted the debate).

On Factionalism

Principlist candidate and Supreme National Security Council secretary Saeed Jalili criticized the reformist Khatami administration for its foreign policy performance post September 11.

Rouhani slammed the principlist Qalibaf for his comments on foreign policy:

#Rouhani: I am surprised to hear #Ghalibaf claim foreign policy has been unsuccessful in general.

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 7, 2013

Aref on the principlists:

#Aref: Part of the problem is that Principalists sidelined Reformists #Iran #Iran2013

— AJELive (@AJELive) June 7, 2013

Gharazi says there need to be more camps, not just the b inary reformists vs. principlists:

#Gharazi: If the country was in the hands of two parties - Principalists & Reformists, then there would only be two men here #Iran #مناظره

— AJELive (@AJELive) June 7, 2013

Velayati complains about the way he was treated under the reformist Khatami administration:

#Velayati: Reformists did the same thing when they were in charge, sidelining the Principalists...so what happened was a retaliation #Iran

— AJELive (@AJELive) June 7, 2013

Haddad-Adel also slams the Khatami administration, waxing poetic about how the reformists purged the principlists:

#Haddadadel accuses Reformists of shaking out all Principalists - "What an autumn it was, all falling like leaves" #Iran #مناظره #Iran2013

— AJELive (@AJELive) June 7, 2013

On Public Security And Censorship

Aref, responding to Rezaei, asked:

#Aref: Mr. #Rezaei, days ago, while visiting #Tehran bazaar, some youths chanted slogans in my favor & got #detained..what is ur #solution?

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 7, 2013

Aref also criticized the security situation --- and factionalism --- under the current administration:

AJELive ‏@ajelive 6s #Aref: Why is holding a photo of Khatami (former reformist president) against the law? #Iran # مناظره

— AJELive (@AJELive) Ju ne 7, 2013

Rouhani has this to say about censorship and security:

#Rouhani: People need to feel like they can speak freely, they can vote in elections...#Aref mentioned arrests, I know of some too #Iran

— AJELive (@AJELive) June 7, 2013

Rouhani --- who injects some interest into the debate after he loses his temper --- says Iranians need security:

#Rouhani: In all aspects of their lives..economically, culturally, #employment, privacy..our people should feel #safe & #secure.

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 7, 2013

Qalibaf blames foreign reporters for criticizing his involvement in student crackdowns:

#Qalibaf: Foreign media twisted my words, making it sound like I was speaking of constant crackdowns & not one specific incident #Iran

— AJELive (@AJELive) June 7, 2013

On Sanctions, Diplomacy and Relations With US

Rouhani says it would be easier for Iran to negotiate with the US than Europe:

#Rouhani: The issue of negotiating with the west in the past was whether it's easier to negotiate with #US or Europe? I say #US...#Iran

— AJELive (@AJELive) June 7, 2013

Haddad-Adel says Iran was under sanctions even before it began the nuclear program. The nuclear issue is a red herring, according to Haddad-Adel; the real issue is Washington's opposition to the Islamic Revolution:

#Haddadadel: #Iran under sanction even before #nuclear programme, which is not military...root of issue with #US is the revolution itself

— AJELive (@AJELive) Ju ne 7, 2013

Gharazi suggests Iran improve its economy so that it can stand up to Washington, like China has:

#Gharazi: #China was able to stand up to #US only after it fixed its own economy & increased productivity - #Iran not there yet #Iran2013

— AJELive (@AJELive) Ju ne 7, 2013

Rezaei takes issue with Haddad-Adel for failing to offer any ideas for how Tehran can counter the US; he agrees with Gharazi that Iran needs to boost its economy:

#Rezaei: We can only beat #US at sanctions game by reversing unemployment & strengthening our currency #Iran #Iran2013 #مناظره

— AJELive (@AJELive) June 7, 2013

Jalili slams Velayati, saying that he does not know what he is talking about when he criticizes his track record as nuclear negotiator:

#Jalili strikes back at #Velayati on his track record as a negotiator (insisting P5+1 remove all sanctions): He has it so wrong! #Iran

— AJELive (@AJELive) June 7, 2013

Supporters of Reformist Mohammad Reza Aref Call For Coalition with Moderate Hassan Rouhani

With just a week to go before the first round of the Presidential election, moderate candidate Hassan Rouhani's campaign team have hinted strongly at a coalition between his camp and that of reformist candidate Mohammad-Reza Aref.

Rouhani's campaign office said Thursday that there could be a possibility of such a move within the next days, and used social media to push the same message. Rouhani's Twitter account tweeted photographs of Aref supporters holding banners calling for a coalition.

Via careful use of social and traditional media, as well as via TV appearances and campaign documentary, Rouhani's campaign has crafted an image of a strong candidate who is close to the people and who appeals to a broad camp of voters. A new campaign website, featuring the key image Rouhani has used as his campaign symbol, shows photographs of supporters of all ages, including women.

Rouhani's campaign documentary, which aired this week --- and which his campaign published on the internet beforehand, to increase viewings and in case any of it was censored --- the moderate candidate talked about how the Islamic Republic was in a "cultural, economic and political winter" --- a quote from Persian poet Mehdi Akhavan-Sales.

While appealing to moderate conservatives --- for example by emphasizing the need for a strong Islamic Republic by talking Thursday about how Iran should use its soft power to counter military threats ---Rouhani's campaign of "Prudence and Hope" is also courting Reformist and even Green voters with comments about personal freedoms and censorship.

Rouhani is also trying to show that he has the backing of other leading political figures. In an announcement via Twitter about a conference Saturday in Tehran's Shiroudi stadium, Rouhani used a green-tinted photograph of himself, flanked by former Presidents Hashemi Rafsanjani --- disqualified from standing the campaign --- and Mohammad Khatami.

However, if Rouhani --- and by extension the reformist camp --- want to make an impact in the June 14 vote, he will need to come to an agreement with Aref to avoid splitting the vote.

So will Aref step down in favor of Rouhani? And if so, how soon before the June 14 poll will that announcement come?

Presidential Election Watch: Khamenei Warns of Enemy Plots

Speaking on the anniversary of the death of his predecessor, Imam Khomeini, the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, warned that through the use of sanctions and negative press against the regime, the country’s enemies seek to decrease the number of voters in the upcoming presidential election. Khamenei stated that the Iranian people should work together for a massive turnout to crush the plots of the enemies.

Presidential Election Watch: Third Televised Debate

PressTV is broadcasting --- and translating into English --- the final televised debate between the eight candidates here. EA will be providing a full review of the debate later today.

Former Khatami Vice President: Aref-Rouhani Coalition Could Come Tomorrow

Amid growing rumors of a possible coalition between moderate candidate Hassan Rouhani and his reformist counterpart Mohammad-Reza Aref --- a move that would unite centrist and reformist voters and avoid a dilution of support for Rouhani --- Fars News, close to the Revolutionary Guards, reports that such a move could be announced as soon as Saturday.

Fars reports comments by Mohsen Mehralizadeh, vice president under the government of President Khatami, who said that Aref is the only reformist candidate in the Presidential race --- but that because Rouhani is a moderate, he could join Aref in a coalition. There had been considerable discussion on the matter with political leaders including former Presidents Khatami and Rafsanjani.

Interior Minister: No possibility of interference in Presidential elections

Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar has stated that the Iranian election process is so unflawed that there is no possibility for interference --- and that candidates must accept the results, ISNA reports.

Speaking to students before Friday prayers, Najjar pointed to Article 6 of the Iranian Constitution, which states that the affairs of the country must be administered on the basis of elections.

Najjar added that the election created hope, vitality and social cohesion and ensured Iran's security against its enemies, who had tried to use sanctions to undermine the election.

Previously, the Revolutionary Guards and Basij have also made sure to emphasize in national media that they will not interfere in the June 14 election.

Reformist Aref Campaign Sets Possibilities, Challenges of Coalition with Moderate Rouhani

An interview with Hasan Rasooli, a deputy of reformist canidate Mohammad Reza Aref, points both to the move for an Aref coalition with moderate Hassan Rouhani and the obstacles to be cleared.

Rasooli accepted the electoral need for only one of the two men to remain on the ballot next Friday:“Reformists will gain a better result if Dr. Aref and Dr. Rouhani agree on a mechanism initiated by [former Presidents] Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mohammad Khatami to determine a single candidate to remain in the race.

What's more, Rasooli said Khatami is trying to form the coalition.

However, Rasooli also set out lines for a deal from Rouhani's camp, saying that he expected the decision not to be affected by “unreal inductions”.

Rasooli continued, “If Mr. Rouhani and his campaigners have more cooperation, we can reach a better result for the coalition.

The deputy also held out the possibility that . Aref can perform better than Rouhani in next Friday's vote.

Economy Watch: Inflation Edition

According to Iran’s Statistic Centre, inflation rates continue to hit the economy hard, reaching 31% during the month of Ordibehesht (21 April to 21 May). Meanwhile, the price of food and drink increased at the even higher rate of 49.6%.

Presidential Election Watch: Final Televised Debate

The third, and final, televised debate before the presidential election will be broadcast live today at 1130 GMT on state broadcaster IRIB. The focus of the debate is expected to be on Iran’s foreign relations, particularly its nuclear programme. The first two debates discussed the eight candidates’ views on economic and cultural issues.

Rezaei Pledges To Expand Iran's Economy

Independent Presidential candidate and former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei told supporters in Chahar-Mahal and Bakhtiari on Thursday that if he is elected on June 14, he intends to diversify Iran's economy so that it is not dependent on oil revenues.

Rezaei said that he would expand the economy into different sectors including travel and tourism.

Aref: The Reform Movement Is About Public Welfare

During a visit to the city of Ilam on Thursday, Reformist Presidential candidate Mohammad-Reza Aref said that the reform movement was about public welfare and that if he is elected President he would create over 700,000 jobs and address Iran's rampant inflation.

Rouhani: Iran Should Use Soft, Smart Power

Moderate Presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani said that Iran should use soft and smart power in response to the changes taking place in the world, including in military power.

Speaking at a televised Q&A event on Thursday, Rouhani said that those who have veto power in the UN Security Council are those who have greater military power --- and also nuclear power --- and therefore Iran needed to increase its national power to meet its interests. Political slogans, Rouhani said, are not effective in the world of politics.

Rouhani's Campaign Office: Number Of Candidates A Setback In 2005

Moderate candidate Hassan Rouhani's campaign office has said that the number of candidates in the 2005 Presidential election had been a setback for the reformist movement.

Rouhani's campaign has called for consensus among reformists in the election, saying that the number of reformist candidates in the 2005 election had led to failures, Fars News reports.

Political Prisoner Watch

EA's Scott Lucas brings us human rights news: Omid Abdolwahabi, a journalist with Reform News and former reporter with Mardomsalari, has been arrested last Tuesday.

Presidential Election Watch: Rouhani's Election Office Talks About Coalition With Aref

The Tehran election office of moderate Presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani has said that there could be a possibility of a coalition between Rouhani and reformist candidate Mohammad-Reza Aref in the coming days.

ISNA reported that the coalition was likely to be announced soon.

Presidential Election Watch: Rouhani Talks About Mousavi

Moderate Presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani has mentioned detained opposition leader Mir-Hossein Mousavi in two separate tweets.

Mir-Hossein #Mousavi and I visited the first nuclear facilities capable of proliferation back in the summer of 2002 #Rouhani #live on #IRIB

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 6, 2013

I and Mir Hossein #Mousavi were first officials to visit Isfahan facility while it was under construction. #iran #nuclear

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 6, 2013

Presidential Election Watch: Qalibaf Edition

Qalibaf Visits Yasuj

Presidential candidate and Tehran mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf visited Yasuj, the capital of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province in southwestern Iran on Thursday, where he told supporters that, if elected in a "political epic", he planned to create an "economic epic" within just two years.

The Tehran mayor, in a bid to increase his appeal outside the capital, said that he would exploit the natural resources and capabilities of Iran's provinces.

The Young Journalists Club, which published photographs of Qalibaf's visit, said that local and Lurish music bands, as well as people on horseback turned out to meet and greet him at the airport. Qalibaf talked with residents at the local mosque.

ISNA published its own series of photographs of Qalibaf's visit, including this one. The poster reads "The presence of Qalibaf is a historic opportunity to manage the this land".

Qalibaf's Visit To Yasuj (Credit: ISNA)

Presidential Election Watch: Is Rouhani-Aref Coalition On The Cards?

Qalibaf Documentary To Be Broadcast

Hardline Mashregh News reports that Qalibaf's documentary will be broadcast Thursday night at 20.10 Tehran time. Mashregh provides a clip of the film.

Meanwhile, Abas Aslani, the General Director of Fars News, quotes Qalibaf as criticizing the BBC's portrayal of him.

As speculation continues as to whether there will be a coalition between moderate Presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani and his reformist counterpart Mohammad-Reza Aref, Rouhani tweets this photograph of women supporters in Ilam holding signs reading "coalition" and photographs of Aref.

مردم ایلام خواستار ائتلاف #روحانی و #عارف twitter.com/HassanRouhani/…

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 6, 2013

Is Press TV Supporting Rouhani And Aref?

On Wednesday, we noted that Press TV has offered substantial --- and positive --- coverage of moderate candidate Hassan Rouhani and his reformist counterpart, Mohammad-Reza Aref.

Of the five video reports linked on Press TV's election coverage page this morning, two are about Rouhani and two about Aref (the remaining video is about Tehran mayor and Presidential candidate Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf)

As Rouhani notes on his Twitter account, Press TV has also offered an English-language subtitled extract of his campaign video:

Watch English-subbed excerpts from #Rouhani's praised documentary presstv.ir/detail/2013/06…

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 6, 2013

In the three-minute extract from Rouhani's campaign video, the moderate candidate says:

I am happy to have moved war, sanctions and the UN Security Council resolutions away from Iran. I pride myself on having succeeded in winning the unanimous confirmation of the IAEA Board of Governors regarding the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear activities. It would be nice to see centrifuges turning, provided that the wheels of the country also turn.

Presidential Debate Reveals Differences On Women's Rights

AP's Ali Akbar Dareini reports on Wednesday's second televised Presidential debate, noting that it revealed the eight male candidates' different stances on issues like women's rights and personal freedoms.

Dareini notes: Moderates vowed to loosen restrictions and hard-liners backed strong state intervention in people' lives.

While moderate candidate Hassan Rouhani said he would form a women's affairs ministry, his principlist rival Saeed Jalili said that a woman's place was in the home.

Following the debate, however, Jalili tweeted that his wife was a medical doctor:

همسر دکتر سعید جلیلی، پزشک متخصص و شاغل است. #Iranelection #Jalili #Iran2013 #انتخابات

— Saeed Jalili (@DrSaeedJalili) June 5, 2013

Rouhani --- whose social media profiles have featured images of female supporters --- tweeted the following comments about his views on women's roles:

#Women must have #active presence in society. Women must have #equal #opportunities, equal #pay and equal #rights.

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 5, 2013

As part of my government's focus on #women, it will seek to introduce special financial #support for women who head #households

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 5, 2013

Comment Of The Day: Reaction To Presidential Debate

EA's comment of the day comes from poster Vakil-e-Roaya, who has this to say about Presidential candidate and lead nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili's contributions to Wednesday's televised debate on Art and Culture:

The only fruitful thing of the second debate for me was developing a sense of compassion for Catherine Ashton. I now understand what she must have gone through in those excruciating negotiations with her counterpart Saeed Jalili.

Having undertaken live coverage of the entire debate, Scott Lucas and I can only concur with this comment.

Iranian Envoy In Moscow Comments On S-300 Lawsuit

Press TV on Thursday picked up on a Russian news report from Tuesday regarding comments by Tehran's ambassador on Moscow's canceled contract to supply the much-coveted S-300 surface-to-air system.

Last July, Tehran filed an arbitration case against Moscow in Geneva seeking a fine of $4 billion for the canceled contract. Iran sought the S-300s to upgrade its antiquated air defense systems, particularly important in the light of threats of air strikes against its nuclear facilities. The system would make those facilities far less vulnerable to attack by Israel or the US.

Interfax reported remarks by Ambassador Mohammad-Reza Sajjadi, who said that Iran may be prepared to cancel the lawsuit if Russia made good on the contract.

"The fulfillment of the contract that was signed, would of course change the behavior of the Iranian side," Interfax quoted Sajjadi as saying. The Iranian envoy added that, in Iran's view, the UN Security Council Resolution 1929 did not constitute a reason for Russia to cancel the contract.

It is likely that the publication of these remarks now, amid the controversy over whether Russia will supply S-300 systems to the Syrian regime, is a signal by both Iran and Russia of strength in the face of Western criticism. Despite Western pressure, Russia has refused to back down from its position regarding the supply of S-300 systems to Assad.

Football Watch: Iran's National Team Returns Home

Iran's national football team returns home to Tehran after "sweet" victory against rival Qatar in the World Cup qualifier.

New Facebook Page Calls For Coalition Between Aref, Rouhani

While there have been rumors of a possible alliance floating around the Iranian media, Aref has denied that he will step down in favor of Rouhani. However, there is still time before the vote on June 14 for such a coalition to take place. EA's Scott Lucas believes this will happen, although I am more cautious.

US Extends Waivers on 9 Countries Over Iran Sanctions

The US State Department has renewed six-month waivers on sanctions for nine countries, including Turkey, China, and India, over oil purchases from Iran.

Since the US stepped up sanctions in 2011, Iran's oil market has been restricted to four major countries --- China, India, Japan, and South Korea --- and even those customers have reduced purchases.

In April, Iran's sales of oil fell to 741,000 barrels per day, a historic low and far below the 2.2 million bpd in 2011, before the extension of US sanctions.

Photo: Mehdi Dehghan/AP

We stopped live coverage at the end of the first half of the debate.

Radio Free Europe offers this live summary of the second half.

Links to Persian transcripts of the debate from ISNA and Mehr News.

Live Coverage of the 2nd Presidential debate on Wednesday, covering society and culture:

1343 GMT: Rouhani challenges Jalili --- Calls for engagement and not rhetoric re enemy and Zionists --- Says current approach leads to brain drain

#Rouhani to Jalili: This inner circle thinks we shud avoid #interaction with world. I say we should open up our doors to stop #brain #drain.

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 5, 2013

What does #Jalii think abt this one-way street that we have created by not allowing our researchers & academics to go abroad? #braindrain

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 5, 2013

Qalibaf --- Call to see society as mature, livnig thing and not naive child. If you cause harm to society, it will react. Society will lack coherence, e.g., on economy and social problems.

Rezaei talks about poverty, bad statesman behavior,and mismanagement.

Aref: Need to protect culture to "inoculate and vaccinate" anti foreign channels --- Govt should serve and not just be responsible for culture.

Jalili: rambling --- Claims that can make capacity of TV series with large audiences.

1335 GMT: Jalili: America uses culture --- like through the movie Argo. Jalili talks about "cultural justice" which he says includes money for building mosques. Government and especially president must have this precise understanding, and that's why the President must be a religious figure under the Constitution.

1333 GMT: Saeed Jalili steps up to the podium. He says that: "Culture is like breathing. When you think about things like traffic regulations, that is a way to achieve results through regulations but you can also achieve results through culture. Regarding the nuclear issue we need to hvae a precise understanding of nature of our cultre to avoid making mistakes and undermining our capacities."

1329 GMT: Haddad Adel --- Iranian culture in the region has been influential through its sublime concepts. A Turkish expert told me that Iranian culture in the world of Islam is like that of Greece in Europe.

1328 GMT: Rouhani is warned to stick to his time allocation. He asks Haddad Adel about literature --- "what is your proposal for more activity on literature".

1321 GMT: Haddad Adel waxes poetic --- "Culture is a waterfall" and "Culture is a source of life"

1319 GMT: Gholam Ali Haddad Adel --- prominent MP, relative of the Supreme Leader, and professor of philosophy --- takes the podium. He issues declarations like, "Culture is the spirit of the body of society and its identity."

1310GMT: Rouhani goes into extra time to slam the government for its treatment of students and academics, and says that some university professors have been fired over the past 10 years and harsh restrictions imposed on students.

1305 GMT: "Independent" candidate Mohammad Gharazi, the least-prominent of the eight men, takes the podium.

Gharazi does not offer much beyond the reiteration --- from Rohani and Aref --- that "culture belongs to the people".

That sparks a fight-back from Haddad Adel, who tries to present people protecting their culture and beliefs by supporting the Revolution led by Imam Khomeini --- in other words, the claim that the system brought convergence between the people and their leaders.

1250 GMT: Qalibaf makes a general call for "generation of wealth" through culture, while maintaining "dignity": "We are not a capitalist society....We believe under Divine guidance we protect human freedom and dignity."

Other candidates criticise Qalibaf --- justifiably, in my view --- for vagueness.

The surreal criticism comes from Haddad Adel: "Art is like a vegetable. If it is on the table, people will eat. But if it is not on the table, people won't starve."

Qalibaf's response talks about "culture as an important basis for manpower, mosques are even more important than oil and gas". He wanders to his position as Mayor of Tehran, "If I tell the people the sidewalks will be mended, they will be mended."

1249 GMT: Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf takes the podium.

Rouhani responds to Saeed Jalili:

#Rouhani to Jalili: Atmosphere in unis very different from before. Many profs & students now retired&expelled. hard situation..incomparable.

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 5, 2013

Even as he starts speaking, the Rohani campaign tries to keep the initiative on social media:

we have celebs, scholars etc, we can introduce them as cultural #ambassadors in public #diplomacy..unfortunately haven't seen much of that

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 5, 2013

We live in world with #interaction at great level..global #culture cant be ignored..need #interaction while maitaining our #identity

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 5, 2013

1231 GMT: The Supreme Leader's senior advisor Ali Akbar Velayati takes the podium. He puts his emphasis on the strength of the family and the educational system.

The sharpest response comes from Mohsen Rezaei, who says the greatest threat to the family is the state of Iran's economy.

Aref follows with a challenge that the society is undermined by censorship of the Internet which --- echoing an earlier statement by Rohani --- prevents "great cultural work".

Velayati responds with an appeal to "morality" and, in a shift of direction, to the "resistance economy" promoted by the Supreme Leader.

1226 GMT: Not sure about this challenge from Mohammad Baqer-Qalibaf: "Lies are worse than poverty."

Aref, replying to criticism, once again sounds like Rouhani: "Government must provide infrastructure and people must take care of culture....An artist must have the chance of creating artistic work."

1216 GMT: The Rouhani campaign immediately declares support for its views from the reformist Aref: "Just like Rouhani said, activities in cultre and art are a right."

#عارف: همین طور که آقای#روحانی عرض کردند، فعالیت در حوزه ی فرهنگ و هنر یک حق است#مناظره

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 5, 2013

Rouhani backs this up in his response to Aref, "We should leave culture in the hands of the people....Police should be left in last place."

The campaign tweets within seconds:

Culture emanates from ppl...it should be decentralized and not regulated by government. Unnecessary censorship & opaque regulations obstacle

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 5, 2013

1216 GMT: Outlining his approach, reformist Mohammad Reza Aref sees an opening: he begins by congratulating Iran's national football team on Tuesday's victory over Qatar in a World Cup qualifying match.

Aref also calls for a "cultural and popular Revolution", based on "social domains" rather than Government oversight, with those involved in cultural activity "taking care of cultural issues": "We must trust them. We can't just appoint prominent officials."

Illustrating his criticism, Aref challenges the shutting down of newspapers and Iran's House of Cinema.

Saeed Jalili tries to block the alliance between Rouhani's and Aref's views on censorship and the Government: "Culture is an opportunity but has features of purity."

1211 GMT: The strongest challenge to Rouhani comes from leading MP Haddad Adel, who says that censorship is necessary to preserve "moral values" and claims that Rohani's criticism of the Government deflects from this.

Rouhani responds, "Cultural organisations should run things themselves. Is culture something that government can produce single-handedly."

He continues, "If freedom is given, then we can tackle corruption."

1159 GMT: Hassan Rouhani presents his case, calling for "decentralisation" of culture while attacking the Government for "trial by media to raise allegations": "When moral values are gone, you lose public trust."

Rouhani blames this for problems from cheque fraud to drug addiction to a high divorce rate.

The Rouhani campaign backs up its candidate on Twitter:

Religious #beliefs have faced onslaught..instead of strengthening beliefs, some officials have #undermined them..

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 5, 2013

#Inefficient management being attributed 2 religious figure or even God forbid 12 Imams..#superstition has been spread in name of #religion

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 5, 2013

Saeed Jalili's campaign responds: "Culture is not something that is apart from other matters -- it is all part of the atmosphere."

فرهنگ یک مقوله در کنار مقوله های دیگر نیست. فضای حاکم بر همه اینهاست.

— Saeed Jalili (@DrSaeedJalili) June 5, 2013

1151 GMT: The responses to Mohsen Rezaei's opening statement continue. Saeed Jalili declares, "If there is a 'right' atmosphere to culture, we can settle many issues that affect people."

Ali Akbar Velayati calls for "valuable efforts to revitalise Islamic and Iranian culture, with a profound approach". Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, criticising that Rezaei did not talk about cultural plans but went straight into economic issues, asks, "If cultural problems stem from poverty, how can piety maintain morals?"

The strongest challenge comes from Hassan Rouhani, however. Saying that "cultural atmosphere needs security", he calls for an end to unnecessary censorship "so that cultural people can have more innovation: "Without security --- no innovation, so no new ideas to turn art into cultural products."

Rouhani then attacks the Ahmadinejad Government, "Religious beliefs have faced an onslaught in recent years, as officals undermined them. Superstitiion has been spread in name of religion, with bad management blamed on the Hidden Imam."

Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf follows with a general statement that "economy and politics must be influenced by culture".

1135 GMT: The second debate among the eight candidate, on society and culture, starts with a hadith on the Prophet warning that poverty turns into atheism.

Mohsen Rezaei, the first candidate to make his case, warns that poverty is "causing our youth to move towards addiction".He is "shocked to hear news of a young girl begging on street. I feel ashamed."

He declares a threat to the Islamic establishment and says the faith of youth must not be undermined, with the tackling of unemployment and poverty.

Rezaei also calls for "cultural officials" to handle cultural issues, suggesting that the Government has failed to do so.

Other candidates criticise Rezaei for not putting forward a programme to deal with the problems.

Iran's Presidential candidates seized the opportunity on Tuesday to make political capital from two important events --- the ceremony commemorating the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and Iran's victory over Qatar in a World Cup qualifying match.

Candidates Saeed Jalili and Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf at Tuesday's ceremony on the anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini

A Jalili supporter outside the ceremony

Moderate candidate Hassan Rouhani did not attend the Khomeini ceremony. Instead, he grabbed headlines by travelling to Isfahan to attend the funeral of Grand Ayatollah Jalaleddin Taheri.

People of #Isfahan broke out in chants in favor of #Rouhani amid his presence in mourning procession of Ayat #Taheri twitter.com/HassanRouhani/…

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 4, 2013

Rouhani made the most of the journey, posting a series of photographs on his Facebook account and talking of a surge of support for his campaign :

Following the funeral, video emerged on YouTube claiming that mourners shouted slogans in support of reformist politicians Mir Hussein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi. While reports of the footage were widely circulated --- including by the New York Times --- the veracity of the images and the soundtrack cannot be verified.

Meanwhile, both Rouhani and Jalili used social media to congratulate Iran on its 1-0 victory over Qatar in the World Cup qualifying match.

.امیدوارم این بازی ملی (ایران-قطر) ؛ باعث همبستگی و نشاط ملی برای مردم ایران شود. #Jalili #Iran #WorldCup #Brazil2014

— Saeed Jalili (@DrSaeedJalili) June 4, 2013

US & European Partners Step Up Pressure on Tehran

Beyond the Presidential election, today's big story may be further confirmation that the US and its European allies --- far from waiting for the outcome --- are ratcheting up pressure on the Islamic Republic, possibly to the point of seeking regime change.

As Washington passed additional sweeping sanctions, its representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency was putting out the scare story of the planned Arab heavy-water reactor to the Agency's latest meeting:

We are deeply troubled that Iran claims that the IR-40 heavy water reactor at Arak could be commissioned as soon as early 2014, but still refuses to provide the requisite design information....Iran's refusal to fulfill this basic obligation must necessarily cause one to ask whether Iran is again pursuing covert nuclear activities.

A European Union statement described Iran's "procrastination" as unacceptable.

Jalili Publishes Cultural Plan

Following Wednesday's televised debate on cultural matters, principlist Presidential candidate Saeed Jalili published his cultural plan via the Masir 1357 think-tank.

#Jalili's cultural plan is now available for download on think tank website of the campaign masir1357.ir/?p=2042 #Iranelection #Iran2013

— Saeed Jalili (@DrSaeedJalili) June 5, 2013

Protests In Isfahan --- Death To The Dictator

An EA correspondent in Iran offers confirmation and fresh information about Tuesday's events in Isfahan during the funeral of former Friday Prayer leader Ayatollah Taheri.

We had held back from posting the video until we received confirmation that it is genuine.

People first start chanting O Son of Hasan [referring to the 12th Imam of Shias, Imam Mahdi] destroy the oppression and dictatorship. Afterward, they chant: The political prisoners MUST be freed.

At 1.10 in the video, people in the crowd shout: Ya Hussain, Mir Hussain.

At 1.35 in the video, they start chanting: death to the dictator.

Our correspondent confirms that while moderate Presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani was present at the funeral, he left shortly after people began shouting the political slogans.

Ayatollah Taheri had resigned from his post as Friday Prayer leader in protest at the house arrest of democracy and human rights advocate Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri. Taheri was also a close friend of Ayatollah Mousa Shobairi Zanjani.

Presidential Election Watch: Second Debate On State TV

Starting at 12.30 BST, Iranian State TV is hosting the second Presidential debate. Follow EA's Live Coverage.

IRIB has published a live stream of the debate.

Press TV are also streaming a live feed from the debate, with English subtitles.

Today's debate will cover topics of art and culture.

Presidential Election Watch: Rouhani Edition

Iran's English language state outlet Press TV reports that moderate Presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani broadcasted a campaign documentary on Tuesday, describing plans to improve previously uncertain relationships with the international community if elected.

Rouhani --- a former nuclear negotiator --- referred to Iran's nuclear program, saying ‘it would be nice to see the centrifuges turning, provided that the wheels of the country also turn’. 

The moderate candidate also touched upon the economic challenges facing Iran, saying that the most important problem was high prices, noting that the cost of basic commodities has risen by 300% in the past eight years and inflation was at 31% last year. Rouhani promised a more laissez-faire approach, stating that the Iranian Government should have a more ‘supervisory and supportive role’ and ‘leave the economy to the people’.

Notably, over the past two days, Press TV has given considerable space to coverage of the campaigns of the moderate Rouhani (whom it dubs a reformist) and reformist candidate Mohammad-Reza Aref, even publishing a story on Tuesday examining how "Reformist campaigns take on nationwide scope".

Stock Car Racing Watch: Images From Tabriz "Tractors Cup"

With the Western media dominated by speculation about Iran's Presidential election and nuclear program, it's easy to forget that Iranians have regular lives too.

Mehr News and Serat News are among the media outlets to post images from the Tabriz stock car racing event, the Tractors Cup.

Among the cars being raced are this Iranian-made Saipa marque. Saipa was originally established in 1966, before the Revolution, to build Citroens, but now builds mostly Korean automobiles.

Sunni Separatist Watch: Sistan Baluchestan Separatist Group Call On Arab Sunnis To Give Support

Jaish ul-Adl Insurgent, Image Via Twitter

Sistan and Baluchestan-based Sunni separatist group Jaish ul-Adl (Army of Justice) have released a video in Arabic in which their leader, named as Abdul Raouf Riqi, called on Arab Sunnis to give financial support.

Jaish ul-Adl also claimed via their blog to have carried out an attack against Iranian security personnel in Chah-e Samsur, Iran, 80 km from Bam, in which "a number" of people were killed.

Mohsen Rezaei Releases Campaign Song

Rezaei As "Marlboro Man" --- Photo Via Rezaei's Campaign Facebook Page

Presidential candidate and former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei has joined his rival, principlist candidate Saeed Jalili, in releasing a campaign song.

Rezaei's song is available on the popular music social sharing site SoundCloud and contains a rap-style opening, followed by a patriotic ballad set to a pop beat.

Aref: "I Will Remain In Race Until End"

Reformist candidate Mohammad-Reza Aref has denied that he plans to form a coalition with moderate candidate Hassan Rouhani, saying that he intends to remain in the Presidential race until the end.

Aref said that, if elected, he would work with others in the form of workgroups and interaction with "elites from all sectors".

Presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani criticises State broadcaster IRIB

See also Iran Special: Images Of Women Supporters In The Presidential Campaign
>Monday's Iran Today: Is The Quest For A Unity Candidate Over?

Mehr News reports this morning that the Electoral Campaign Regulatory Body has censored parts of Presidential candidate Saeed Jalili's latest campaign video:

The televised speech of Reformist candidate Mohammad-Reza Aref was similarly censored.

Rouhani On Iran- Qatar Relations

Moderate Presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani congratulated Iran on Tuesday evening on an important victory over its rival Qatar --- dashing the Gulf state's hopes after dominating it.

Iran beat Qatar 1-0 on the football field.

Another step towards #Brazil...congratulations to all #Iranians on #victory against Qatar!! #Iran #WorldCup #Brazil2014

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 4, 2013

Meanwhile, Iran summoned Qatar's charge d'affaires on Tuesday over what it said was an "Arab-linked terrorist plot".

US Ratchets Up Sanctions Campaign to Pressure --- or Break? --- Regime

In yet another step in an escalating sanctions campaign against the regime, the US has blacklisted a global network of private companies for providing revenue to the Iranian Government.

The blacklist --- the fourth measure to be imposed in a week --- names 37 companies from Iran to Croatia, Germany, and South Africa. The sanctions prohibit US citizens and entities from dealing with the firms. Any foreign financial institutions dealing with them risk cut-off from the U.S. financial system.

The Treasury said the companies are governed by the Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order, earn tens of billions of dollars in profits by taking advantage of preferential loan rates from Iranian banks o sell and manage real estate holdings.

US authorities added the firms have business links to Iran's government but usually have non-Iranian or Iranian expatriate owners to get around restrictions on the gGovernment's ability to do business in Europe and other parts of the world.

Yesterday President Obama signed an executive order authorising sanctions on any foreign financial institutions that conduct “significant transactions” in Iranian currency or maintains Rial accounts outside Iran. The step is aimed at further weakening the Rial, which fell 70% in value last year.

Ahmadinejad Camp to Maintain Influence in Tehran?

President Ahmadinejad's camp has been blocked at national level from continuing influence, with the disqualification of Ahmadinejad's right-hand man Esfandiar Rahim-Mashai as a candidate, but this may not be the end of the story....

The Ahmadinejad faction has put forth Minister of Transportation and Housing Ali Nikzad as candidat for Tehran mayor, and has named other hopefuls for city council seats, including Ahmadinejad’s sister Parvin and Presidential advisor Ali Zabihi.

An Economic Admission from the Supreme Leader?

This may be the most interesting line in the Supreme Leader's speech today, looking beyond the Rresidential election to even more important issues: “Yes, we have economic problems, yes we have inflation, but, God willing, the person who comes can provide a solution to these problems. This is the wish of the Iranian people."

Photo: Rouhani in Esfahan

Moderate Presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani posted a series of photographs to his campaign Facebook account, showing himself amongst crowds in Esfahan during a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Presidential Election Watch: Haddad-Adel Visits Qom

In a visit to Qom late Monday evening, principlist Presidential candidate Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel said that the events of the Arab Spring were inspired by Iran's 1979 Revolution.

Haddad-Adel's claims are not new. The Supreme Leader and others have tried to push the line that the Arab Spring --- or the Islamic Awakening as it has dubbed regional events --- are connected to past events that led to the creation of the Islamic Republic.

Haddad-Adel also said that Western sanctions are designed to weaken Iran ahead of the election --- another claim made by the Supreme Leader.

On the issue of economics, Haddad-Adel said one of his most important programs was to eliminate usury from the banking system.

ISNA published a series of pictures of the visit.

Picture Of The Day: Woody Allen Makes Appearance At Khomeini Ceremony

The Supreme Leader remains dignified as former President Hashemi Rafsanjani swaps gossip with Ali Larijani and friends at a ceremony in Tehran today marking the death of Imam Ruhollah Khomeini. Meanwhile Woody Allen makes a surprise appearance (far right).

Video: Jalili Visits Kahnuj, Kerman Province

Presidential candidate Saeed Jalili posted a campaign video of his visit to Kahnuj in Kerman Province.

Presidential Election Watch: Rezaei Edition

Rezaei To Tackle Rural Unemployment

Rezaei warned against youth unemployment, and said that he plans to tackle rural unemployment and migration from the countryside to the cities, as well as substandard production.

The independent candidate has focused on unemployment and poverty in Iran's provinces as a central theme of his election campaign.

Rezaei To "Take IRGC Out Of Economy

In an interview with the Sharq newspaper, former IRGC commander Rezaei said that if elected he will work with the Supreme Leader to remove the Revolutionary Guards from Iran's economy, saying that the IRGC should only be present in the economy "under extraordinary conditions".

Rezaei said that the IRGC had entered into the economy after the Iran-Iraq War, at a time when there was no other organization able to undertake construction projects.

Asked how he would remove the IRGC --- an organization not part of or subject to the government --- from the economy, Rezaei said he would get the buy-in of the Supreme Leader.:

We have no problem there, because the Supreme Leader himself agrees with us. He himself has arranged the Article 44 policies, so there will be no problem there. Also, the President is the Head of the Supreme Council for National Security, where all commanders, the Ministry of Defense, and the General Staff of Armed Forces are members, so he can do this from that position. Also, due to good relations I have with the Supreme Leader I have no problems there.

Rezaei Publishes His Plans

Former IRGC commander and Presidential candidate Mohsen Rezaei has made available his main program for the economy and politics if he is elected.

The 206-page PDF, available from Rezaei's campaign website, is entitled "Life, Economics And Politics". Rezaei also tweeted about the program.

Rezaei Courts Youth Vote

Presidential candidate and secretary of the Expediency Council, Mohsen Rezaei, courted Iran’s youth by describing them as the “most important asset of the country” in a documentary aired yesterday on national TV.

Rezaei said that utilising the “potentials of the new generations and preparing them to administer the country is high on his agenda.” He added that Iran’s most pressing concern was its economy, which he plans to ease by curbing inflation and increasing domestic production to boost local currency.

Rezaei Tweets A Poem

Presidential candidate Mohsen Rezaei used his Twitter account to express this sentiment:

سلاممحسن رضایی هستمآمدم تا بمانم.پرنده ی زندگی مردم ایران دو بال داردیکی بال سیاست و قدرت نظامیو دیگر... fb.me/QU74sqRY

— Rezaee.ir (@wwwRezaeeIR) June 4, 2013

"Salam/I Am Mohsen Rezaei/ I Have Come To Stay/ The Living Bird of the People of Iran Has Two Wings/One Wing Is Politics And Military Power/ And The Other:

Presidential Election Watch: Reformists Edition

Spokesman for the coalition working group of reformists, Mohammad Ali Najafi, has said that a seven-man working group is working on the formation of a coalition to support the single reformist candidate with the best chance of winning.

He added that the results of the deliberations will be announced on Saturday 8 June. Meanwhile, reformist candidate Mohammad Reza Aref has said he will is in it “to the end” and would not withdraw from the election or form a coalition with the other moderate candidate, Hassan Rouhani.

Presidential Election Watch: Aref Edition

Reformist presidential candidate Mohammad Reza Aref has offered four special plans for reducing the country’s unemployment rate.

Although Aref did not go into the specific details of the plans, he said that “We have planned the creation of at least one million job opportunities in the plan that I have presented to Iranians, namely the Iran of Tomorrow. And the job opportunities target the youth.”

The plans include exploiting Iran’s tourism sector, the information technology industry, energy sector and the country’s geographic position.

He also criticised government mismanagement of the economy, stating “The average annual revenue from planes using Iran’s airspace was USD 500 million, but because of reasons mostly concerning administrative issues, we practically lost this opportunity or could not use it properly.”

Jalili Releases Documentary

Presidential candidate Saeed Jalili is the second candidate --- after Hassan Rouhani --- to release a video of his campaign documentary on Tuesday.

Video: Saeed Jalili's first #iranelection documentary named "People+One" drjalily.com/archives/7099/… #Jalili #Iran2013 #Iran92 #انتخابات

— Saeed Jalili (@DrSaeedJalili) June 4, 2013

Screenshots from the documentary:

Presidential Election Watch: Rouhani Edition

In a televised interview yesterday, moderate presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani said that he has “no problem working with the faction that is called Principlist or the one that is called Reformist. I have no problems [with them]. I have problems with the extremists... Basically, I have come to replace extremism with moderation. Extremism has always caused troubles for us.”

Commenting on the situation in Syria, Rouhani noted that it “is an important regional issue. Syria is one of the states in the [resistance] front against Israel.” He added that Tehran will support the Assad regime until 2014 – “because it is the legal government” – but “will completely support an indisputable, free and all-inclusive election. And we will be committed to supporting whatever the results of that election will be, in order to support the future legal government.”

Rouhani Releases Documentary

Moderate Presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani has used social media to release a 30-minute campaign documentary before it has been vetted for screening on State TV.

«این بهاری است که در پشت زمستان مانده»|نخستین مستند «حسن #روحانی»| نسخهء بدونِ سانسور | ساختهء حسین دهباشی وهمکارانyoutube.com/watch?v=J3BF9t…

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 4, 2013

Presidential Election Watch: Velayati Edition

Ali Akbar Velayati, Presidential candidate and senior adviser to the Supreme Leader, has said that he is committed to acting in line with Khamenei's directives.

Velayati said “that priority should be given to the economics in order to solve Iran's economic problems... And in putting in place structures to improve the economic situation.” He added that “if elected his administration would implement this plan of the Supreme Leader.”

US Expands Sanctions List

The Obama Administration has added to its sanctions list for the third time in a week.

In the latest executive order, President Obama authorized sanctions on any foreign financial institutions that conduct “significant transactions” in Iranian currency or maintains Rial accounts outside Iran.

The steps are the first targeting of the Rial, which fell 70% in value last year.

The objective of the new sanction, an Administration official said, is to “make the rial essentially unusable outside of Iran".

The executive order also authorized sanctions against any companies or individuals who do business with Iran’s automotive industry. Previous measures have tried to cripple Tehran’s shipping, shipbuilding, and energy sectors.

Supreme Leader Declares Election Will Defeat Sedition

At ceremonies for the anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini, the Supreme Leader has declared, "Enemies want to make sedition after the election like they did in 2009 [after the disputed Presidential election] but they are mistaken."

Ayatollah Khamenei asserted, "Voting for any candidate in the upcoming elections is a vote for the Islamic Republic."

Amid the failure of his leading officials to find a "unity" choice, the Supreme Leader said, "I don't endorse any special candidate to be elected as President."

Oil Watch: Iran Exports Plummet to New Low

A dramatic piece of news, as the Islamic Republic's oil exports hit an all-time low in April: Iran only sold 741,000 barrels per day.

The figure was a 30% drop on March and about a third of Iran's exports of 2.2 million bpd in 2011.

Japan bought only 8000 bpd, down 97% from April 2012. India --- Tehran's second-biggest customer, after China --- reduced its imports of Iranian crude to its lowest on record, buying just 117,000 bpd, a 56% cut from April 2012 cut from the same month a year ago.

Tehran's other three main customers --- China, South Korea and Turkey --- kept their imports roughly in line with previous months.

Production is alo hitting new low, with 2.5 million to 2.6 million bpd expected in May, a level last seen in 1989 at the end of the eight-year Iran-Iraq War.

The previous low was 2.63 million bpd, set last September.

Political Prisoner Watch: Khazali Released On Bail

Blogger and physician Mehdi Khazali, repeatedly in detention and on hunger strike since the disputed 2009 Presidential election, has been released on bail.

Khazali, the son of a prominent "hard-line" Ayatollah, was last detained on 30 October and held in Evin Prison.

Fars News Agency general director Abbas Aslani tweeted a photograph of two women, one a Rouhani supporter and the other supporter of principlist candidate Saeed Jalili, and commented on the difference between them:

#IranElection 2 different pics of 2 candidates' supporters in Iran elexn, one supporting Rouhani & other Jalili. twitter.com/abasinfo/statu…

— Abas Aslani (@abasinfo) June 3, 2013

Rouhani amended his Twitter page to show photographs of women supporters, and made a special visit to speak to women from Quranic institutions in Tehran's Gholhak neighborhood:

Rouhani's Female Supporters

Rouhani Supporters In Qolhak, Tehran

This Fars News photograph shows a woman at a Rouhani campaign rally in Ahvaz, southwestern Iran:

Women supporters have also been photographed at many of Jalili's campaign rallies and events.

In a campaign rally in Tehran on Monday, a female supporter asked Jalili to swear on a Quran that he would sacrifice his life for the Supreme Leader (Jalili replied that --- Inshallah --- he would.):

A large number of female students attended the rally, and held posters supporting Jalili:

Other images from the event showed two female supporters who had written slogans on their hands --- Progress and Resistance Is The Password (hat tip to the Wilson Center for the image).

The images below show female crowds at a previous campaign rally in Tehran, and holding up campaign posters for Jalili during a campaign speech:

Women At Campaign Rally

Women Hold Images Of Jalili At Campaign Rally

During a campaign visit to the northwestern city of Zanjan, Presidential candidate Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf’s female supporters were photographed hold up a campaign sign saying, “Until we make progress, there won’t be justice.”

Qalibaf Supporters Hold Banners

Female supporters shown during a visit late Thursday night by Presidential candidate Mohammed Aref to Tehran's Seyed Al-Shohada Mosque. Aref has also been photographed talking to women during walkabouts on the streets of Tehran: Aref Supporters In Tehran Mosque Aref Talks To Woman In Tehran

(Hat tip to Hanif Kashani of The Wilson Center, who drew our attention to some of these photographs)

The Four Faces Of Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf

As the Presidential election looms closer, signs are that the 2+1 Coalition --- established in December to choose a "consensus" candidate behind whom Principlists and conservatives could rally --- is effectively finished.

None of the three members of the coalition --- senior aide to the Supreme Leader Ali Akbar Velayati, Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf and MP Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel --- have indicated that they are willing to step down in favor of another.

On Sunday, Haddad-Adel told reporters that he would not step down from the Presidential race because he saw "no reason" to do so.

Meanwhile, principlist factions are beginning to declare support for one or other of the three Coalition members.

Seyyed Kamal Sajjadi, spokesman for the Followers of the Imam and Leadership Front, went so far as to say the 2+1 Coalition is finished and that the faction is officially throwing its support behind Velayati.

Sajjadi also slammed Saeed Jalili --- the fourth Principlist candidate, outside of the 2+1 Coalition --- as too inexperienced to be President. Jalili's sudden entry into the Presidential race, and his strong starting position threatened to split the Principlist vote further.

Meanwhile, a second member of the Coalition, Qalibaf, has attracted support from a group of 150 MPs --- at least according to his campaign spokesman --- Mehr reports.

A poll published Monday by the Young Journalists Club, via Mosalas Online, puts Qalibaf in the lead, ahead of Velayati and Rezaei --- though the accuracy of the poll is impossible to verify.

Jalili Swears On Quran To Sacrifice Life For Supreme Leader

Presidential candidate Saeed Jalili swears on a Quran that he will sacrifice his life for the Supreme Leader at the request of a student during a rally at Tehran University.

The student asks Jalili if he is ready to swear on the Quran, and he replies: "Enshallah, I am".

After Jalili takes the Quran, the crowd chants his name.

Rouhani Gives Live Speech On State TV: We're Not After A Bomb

In his speech on State TV on Monday, moderate Presidential candidate Hassan Rohani said that he planned to use experts in his "government of hope and prudence" if elected --- a promise made by other candidates as well, notably Saeed Jalili and Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf/

Rouhani's comments indicate that he is attempting to pitch himself as a centrist candidate with a broad appeal. Perhaps with a nod at earlier comments on Monday by political commentator Sadeq Zibakalam, who said that reformist voters must back Rouhani or face a Jalili presidency, Rouhani said that he is able to work with all parties, and that he only opposed extremism.

With regard to Iran's nuclear program, Rouhani said Iran needed to clarify its position but stressed that Tehran was not seeking a nuclear weapon, and rather was developing nuclear technology for national development.

Referring to the ongoing battle between himself and his rival Saeed Jalili, Rouhani defended his term as nuclear negotiator:

#Rouhani: In my tenure as #nuclear negotiator, we expanded limited nuclear tech,built confidence,avoided UNSC referral/sanctions/war.

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 3, 2013

Rouhani also discussed regional cooperation and national security, noting that he planned to examine specific foreign policy issues to "identify the countries with whom Iran could work".

Rouhani said that public diplomacy --- even with the United States --- was important for Iran, across issues like culture, sports and religion.

The moderate candidate mentioned the Syria question:

#Rouhani: #Syria has been/is at front with Israel..our first priority is to stop killing, confront extremism/terrorism.

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 3, 2013

#Rouhani: Regardless of our counterpart, all interaction must take place within framework of mutual respect/interests.

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 3, 2013

Rouhani Slams Bagheri, Jalili

Moderate Presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani sharply criticized his rival Saeed Jalili's campaign manager, nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri on Monday, over the ongoing row over claims by the Jalili camp that Rouhani made concessions during his tenure as nuclear negotiator.

Conservative news outlet Asr Iran published Rouhani's response to Bagheri's claims, and Rouhani's campaign team also noted them on his Twitter account.

Rouhani slammed Bagheri for using the "unfounded allegations" against him for capital in Jalili's election campaign, but suggested that Bagheri read his book, "National Security And Nuclear Diplomacy".

The moderate candidate also accused Bagheri of making Iran an international laughing stock when he submitted a two-page document to theP5+1 in 2008 that was "full of errors".

#Letter handed to P5+1 by #Bagheri contained not only stylistic but also content errors. One page widely published to #ridicule Iran.

— Rouhani Campaign (@HassanRouhani) June 3, 2013

Zibakalam: People Should Accept Rouhani As Consensus Candidate, Or Resign Themselves To Jalili

Outspoken Tehran University professor and political analyst Sadegh Zibakalam has said that Reformists should accept that since the Principlists hold power, they should choose a conservative candidate who is closest to reformist ideas and who has the power to change.

Zibakalam said that previously this candidate could have been Ali Akbar Nategh-Nouri but since he is not running in the current election, and since former President Hashemi Rafsanjani was disqualified, the consensus candidate should be Hassan Rouhani.

Rafsanjani and Khatami should back Rouhani, he added, since the current political scene is dominated by the principlists and there is no space for reformists; and that reformist candidate Mohammad-Reza Aref should consider withdrawing from the race.

Rights Groups Slam Decision To Retain Stoning In Penal Code

Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday slammed a decision by Iran's judiciary to retain stoning as a penalty for adultery.

The Guardian Council finished updating the draft penal code in late April, and states that “if the possibility of carrying out the (stoning) verdict does not exist,” the judge may order another form of execution pending final approval by the judiciary chief. However, the new legislation does not remove stoning as an option for judges.

HRW noted Monday that since 1980 there have been at least 70 people executed by stoning. By retaining this clause in the penal code, HRW's Sarah Leah Whitson accused Iran of proving that it "preside[s] over a criminal justice system based on fear, torture and injustice."

According to Whitson, while Iranian officials have pointed to the proposed changes as addressing the concerns of the international community, the new penal code "speaks volumes when a main issue among Iranian officials and jurists is whether people convicted of the ‘crime’ of adultery should be stoned to death or hanged.”

Presidential Election Watch: Jalili Courts Minority Vote

Presidential candidate Saeed Jalili announced a campaign trip to Iran's Sunni-dominated province Sistan and Baluchestan on Tuesday.

در ادامه سفرهای تبلیغاتی ، سعید جلیلی روز سه شنبه به سیستان و بلوچستان می‌رود. دیدار با مردم مهمترین برنامه‌های ایشان در سفر است. #Jalili

— Saeed Jalili (@DrSaeedJalili) June 3, 2013

Presidential Election Watch: Seyyed Mohammad Gharazi Says US "Openly Forcing Iran To Build Nuke"

Seyyed Mohammad Gharazi, independent Presidential candidate and former Minister of Petroleum under then-prime minister Mousavi , has spoken about his policies on Iran's relations with the US, Iran's nuclear program and foreign policy issues.

In an interview with the IRDiplomacy website --- close to Seyyed Mohammad Sadegh Kharrazi, Iran's former ambassador to France and the United Nations --- Gharazi said that he would not conduct negotiations with Washington "behind closed doors".

The big satire of today’s history is that, by repeating its claim that Iran intends to build an atomic bomb, the US is openly forcing Iran to build an atomic bomb. With its behavior, the US tells the people of Iran that if you want to get rid of us, you must build an atomic bomb. But we will never fall in this trap.

Presidential Election Watch: Aref Edition

Aref: I Won't Form Coalition

Reformist candidate Mohammad-Reza Aref has denied rumors that he intends to form a coalition with moderate candidate Hassan Rouhani ahead of the June 14 election.

Aref told Mehr News that he would remain in the race until the end.

Aref Goes To The Bazaar

Reformist candidate Mohammad Reza Aref spent Sunday in the Tehran bazaar --- getting there by riding the metro --- where he spoke with Iranians.

Aref --- like Mohsen Rezaei --- has taken his campaigning to the streets, to show that he is a man of the people who is interested in the views of ordinary people.

Ssturday's campaign speech by Hassan Rouhani, with the crowd chanting the name of detained opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi

With 11 days to go before the first-round vote in the Presidential election, three points on the main contenders and a look at the possibilities....

1. JALILI MAINTAINING MOMENTUM?

The first week of the campaign, after the Guardian Council approved eight candidates and disqualified others like former President Hashemi Rafsanjani on 22 May, was marked by the emergence of Saeed Jalili --- the Secretary of the National Security Council --- as a leading contender.

Jalili has had no previous elected position and was not anticipated as a front-runner; however, a well-organised, high-profile media effort --- probably weeks, if not months, in development --- elevated him. Social media effectively presented him as a military man, having lost a leg in the Iran-Iraq War and as a dedicated religious nationalist, with service in the Supreme Leader's office.

That initial advantage has not been as prominent in recent days, as other candidates finally got their own media efforts rolling and as attention turned to the first debate. Jalili, however, still appears to be in a strong position to make the run-off as one of the top two vote-getters on 14 June.

2. QALIBAF, HADDAD ADEL, VELAYATI --- THE FAILURE TO GET A "UNITY" CANDIDATE

The central narrative of this process, dating from mid-December, continues: the Supreme Leader's office and other key elements of the regime have failed to put forth a "unity" candidate to win this election.

The three men on the "2+1 Committee" --- Supreme Leader senior advisor Ali Akbar Velayati, leading MP Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, and Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf --- said that, after repeated delays, they would declare a single candidate after the Guardian Council's vetting.

That has not happened. Instead, Haddad Adel said last weekend that each of the three men would continue his campaign, presumably all the way to the first-round ballot.

So far, Velayati has been hampered by a lack of charisma, Haddad Adel has failed to attract much support, and Qalibaf --- while showing more potential --- still appears to lack the endorsement of the Supreme Leader's office.

These failures have contributed to Jalili's rise as a contender but they also have opened up a new possibility --- the "moderates" and reformists, who appear to have been dealt a crippling blow with the disqualification of Rafsanjani, may have renewed hope.

3. THE RISE OF ROUHANI?

When the Guardian Council blocked Rafsanjani, its approval of Hassan Rouhani --- an ally of the former President, former lead nuclear negotiator and Secretary of the National Security Council, and a senior official with the Expediency Council --- appeared to be no more than a consolation gesture.

However, after a slow start in the campaign, Rouhani has had a strong week. He surged to attention with a forceful appearance on State TV in which he challenged the economic, social, and political manoeuvres in the Islamic Republic. He has continued that rise with speeches in which he has portrayed other candidates --- including Jalili, with whom he has clashed over the nuclear issue --- as responsible for Iran's current predicament.

The greatest boost to Rouhani may have come from his fellow contenders. With the failure to agree a "unity" candidate, four men --- Qalibaf, Velayati, Haddad Adel, and Jallil --- may now split the "principlist" vote, with others like Mohsen Rezaei also draining away some ballots. That division increases Rouhani's chances of easing into the top two and thus into the final-round vote on 21 June.

That possibilty would be strengthened if Rouhani can convince reformist Mohammad Aref, who appears to have performed well in the first debate, to withdraw and support him.

4. THE RISE OF DISSENT?

Last weekend Rohani's campaign raised a possibility beyond the ballot box. As he spoke, his supporters called for a coalition with Aref and, more importantly, began to chant the name of the detained opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi. Some in the crowds --- and possibly members of Mousavi's campaign --- held up posters of Mousavi, held under strict house arrest with his wife, activist and academic Zahra Rahnavard, and fellow 2009 Presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi since February 2011.

The regime moved quickly against the defiance and the spectre of renewed protest --- or "sedition", in the regime's language --- with the arrest of seven members of Rohani's campaign, including the head of the youth branch.

But could this be the rise of dissent reviving the issues in the post-election mass demonstrations of summer 2009, the dissent that the regime has tried to quash ever since through violence, the detention of hundreds, intimidation, bans on political activity, and cut-off of communications?

Early in the campaign, Rohani was careful to distance himself from any "sedition" in 2009, and he did not utter Mousavi's name in his speech. However, it was evident that he was not going to stop the crowd from doing so --- and probably anticipated that they would. Certainly, his campaign was not trying to cover up the development: they put out the video (see top of entry) highlighting it.

This does not mean that tens of thousands will take to the streets before the election. It may indicate, however, that the "Green Movement" is alive, joining others in support of Rohani. Discussion of a boycott of the process has now been replaced with the possibilty that the challenge to the regime --- and its attempt to anoint the "right" President --- may be taken all the way to the final vote on 21 June.