Elections, Suspense and Prayers

Following the disqualification of hundreds of Reformist candidates for the nationwide council elections last month, now the disqualification of Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani has astonished political activists on both sides of the political arena. The reality is that the Ayatollah’s candidacy had created waves of hope among both reformists and principalists and among the public in general. Initial polls and predictions indicated that Hashemi would gain more than 57% of the votes in the first stage of the election. The fact that he was disqualified due to old age was the only pretext given for this political act of the Council of Guardians. Many Iranian personalities have objected to this decision and have requested a revision of this decree. Reformists have not decided on the strategy they will pursue in the elections. Council candidates like myself who have filed their objections will receive a notice today on whether they have been qualified or not. Then they can begin the campaign. These three days of Rajab are reserved for prayer and occlusion ceremony termed “Etekaf”, recitation of the holy Quran and prayers are recommended. News of additional sanctions and a new pro Israel bill from the US Senate are indicative of a revived attempt to break the resilience of the Iranian nation. We pray for the well- being and brighter future for humanity.