Iranian Presidential Race Heats Up as Third Reformist Candidate Join

Iranian Presidential Race Heats Up as Third Reformist Candidate Join

online.wsj.com

By FARNAZ FASSIHI

BEIRUT -- A third reform candidate joined Iran's June 12 presidential race in a tactic aimed at delivering a blow to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's chances of re-election, reformists said Tuesday.

Former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi said Tuesday that he was throwing his hat into the race, joining former President Mohammad Khatami and cleric Mahdi Karroubi.

Reformists said the move isn't a sign of division, but rather part of a strategy aimed at winning a wider base of support. Two of the three are expected to withdraw at the last minute, throwing their support behind the strongest contender. The deadline set internally by the reform camp for unifying behind one candidate is May.

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OK Does this sound like what I think it sounds like? That the hard liners days may be numbered in Iran? Could it be if we are not careful peace may break out in the middle East?

Read on

"It's what they [reformers] call the 'three-general' strategy. Everyone is ready to utilize any tactic to make sure Ahmadinejad doesn't stay in power," says Sergei Baseghian, political editor of reformist newspaper Etemad Meli. Mr. Mousavi is regarded favorably by Iranians because he managed the country during the eight-year Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

He is viewed by many inside Iran as the only candidate who can siphon votes from both conservatives and liberals: He has revolutionary credentials, but has openly criticized Mr. Ahmadinejad's economic policies and his management style.

online.wsj.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 11-3-2009 by SLAYER69]

well if one thinks about it, mozadek ect..

Im sure most people in Iran just want to get on with life and have a choice to do what they want like most people. I dont got no problems with people praying to whoever.. but choping peoples heads off is mmm well you know not so nice, but then again that is there choice?..

If you wish to join that kinda ideal lifestyle and "do wrong" then you know what your going to get in that respect, thats why most people are moderet because all they wish to do is get on with life.

I hope this is a turning point, and would send a signal to israel not to get up to any funny shizzle.. "you know what i mean".

we just have to wait and see i guess

reply to post by theresult


Yeah I hear ya Israel is getting to be a real pain in our keaster these days.
I wouldn't mind hearing less saber rattling out of both of them.

agreed, and with this NK thing going down the last thing we need is them 2 going toe to toe + nk...

man it feel like ww3 is on a knife egde atm

btw not to be offtopic but NK are gunna fire that "satmisslie" thing on the 15th of this month? Someone posted it on your thread did they have any info or?..

but back on topic i agree, lets hope we get some people who listen, and in respect to obama for all the talk here on ats, atleast hes mm somewhat not saying lets blow the crap out of em.. like GWB was and his little axis of evil speech.

Bush and binwacko are 2 parts of the same seven headed dragon.


forgot to S+F

[edit on 11-3-2009 by theresult]

reply to post by SLAYER69


Iran actually prospered under Khatami , had vastly improved relations with the west , then along came bush who , in the space of 1 month managed to destroy everything the entire foreign relations department had spent years dong.


you do know iran supplied intelligence for the invasion of iraq? had soldiers ready to help in Afgahnistan?

then bush opened his mouth , started plastering labels and thus the conservatioves in iran got power

BUT lets hope this summer theres change again.

reply to post by Harlequin


can we get a source on that?
thanks

All the Iranians I know are pissed off that Rafsanjani isn't standing this year. I tend to agree with them.

Apparently Khatami and Karroubi aren't all that much better than Ahmedinejad.

Rafsanjani was good for Iran and its uneasy detente with the West. The world could use him back on the centre stage of Iranian politics.

[edit on 11-3-2009 by 44soulslayer]

"Ahmadinejad doesn't stay in power"

I find it funny how they always think Ahmadinejad is at the top of the power list :\

reply to post by SLAYER69


Who is saying that it already isn't peaceful in the middle east? As long as we're not talking about Iraq, Afghanistan, or Israel killing Palestinians.

Who says that Iran is not peaceful? Do they have daily suicide bombings or something?

How come if you don't America's feet, then it's not peaceful? Iran has daily suicide bombings, but they kiss America's feet, so it's a "stable" and "peaceful" country.

Yeah right!

Originally posted by MegaCurious

Who says that Iran is not peaceful? Do they have daily suicide bombings or something?

Let's not get into whether or not they support certain groups and if they do have suicide bombings in Iran I doubt they would let anybody know

reply to post by SLAYER69


I know a guy from Iran who was very "Progressive, Liberal" etc, by Iranian standards.. from what I get from him Iran is a rather Liberal country as far as personal rights and so on, but the hard core conservative Islamist still run the show. I would hope that a reformist is elected, and hopefully we can have open dialog with the Iranians..

Iran is the only Mid-East country I would ever visit aside from Turkey, it's a country with a lot of potential being held back by short sighted bigots. The comical way he puts it, is Amedinijad is Iran's version of Bush.