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By David Blair, Tehran–
Mohammad Khatami, who served as president for eight years, defies efforts to silence him by releasing taped message backing reformist candidates
The most venerable leader of Iran’s reformist movement defied efforts to silence him and intervened in the election campaign on Monday, releasing a taped message endorsing moderate candidates.
Mohammad Khatami, who served as president for eight years, had no choice but to use this method of conveying his views. Iran’s media will no longer quote his statements, print his photograph – or mention his name. Powerful hardliners regard him with such suspicion that he cannot address public meetings.
Mr Khatami’s reformist allies will challenge the dominance of hardline conservatives in parliamentary elections on Friday.
The former president, who stepped down in 2005, remains sufficiently popular to be an asset for the reformist campaign.
At a rally for moderate candidates in Tehran, the audience fell silent as Mr Khatami’s voice was suddenly heard. “If good figures who are trusted by the people are presented in this election, our experiences shows that the more the people take part, the more the result will be closer to the people’s views – and to the country’s benefit,” said Mr Khatami.
Mohammad Reza Aref, who served as vice-president under Mr Khatami, is the leader of a new coalition of reformist candidates.
In his message, Mr Khatami urged support for this “list”, saying: “All of us have to go to the ballot box and vote for a better Iran.”
But the odds are stacked against the reformists. Most of their candidates have already been prevented from standing in the election by the Guardian Council, a committee which screens every contender. Hardliners held all but a handful of the 290 seats in the outgoing Majles, or parliament.
Ali Motahari, a moderate MP who is now running on Mr Aref’s list, criticised the mass disqualification of candidates. “All democracies have limitations, but we are limiting ourselves more and more in this country because of the actions of the Guardian Council,” he said.
Only those who were guilty of “corruption” or “serious misbehaviour” should be prevented from standing, added Mr Motahari. “Otherwise this will lead to more candidates who hide their beliefs and ideas so as not to be disqualified,” he said.
Alongside the parliamentary poll, Iran will also elect a new Assembly of Experts on Friday. This 88-member body has the power to choose the Supreme Leader. The incumbent, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is 76 years old, so the new members of the Assembly will probably decide his successor.
