This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/01/world/middleeast/iran-elections.html

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Iranian President and Moderates Appear to Make Strong Gains in Elections Iranian President and Moderates Appear to Make Strong Gains in Elections
(about 4 hours later)
TEHRAN — President Hassan Rouhani of Iran and his allies appeared Monday to have made strong gains in two national elections, the first to be held since Tehran completed a sweeping nuclear deal with the United States and other Western powers. TEHRAN — Nearly three years after Iran’s reform-minded president was elected, the most reactionary voices in Iranian politics are losing ground to moderates buoyed by the sweeping nuclear deal with big powers including the United States.
Official results in Friday’s election for both Parliament and the clerical Assembly of Experts have still not been released. But it seemed increasingly likely that political moderation, Mr. Rouhani’s main promise when he campaigned for the presidency in 2013, is slowly reshaping Iranian politics. Though hard-liners still control the most powerful positions and institutions of the state, two national elections last week appeared to build on the slow but unmistakable evolution toward a more moderate political landscape — now and into the future.
“No more trivial debates, no more complaining of shaking hands with American officials, no more shouting and screaming from the parliament seats,” said Farshad Ghorbanpour, an analyst with close ties to the Rouhani government. “The next Parliament will support the government, it will be reasonable and rational.” Allies of President Hassan Rouhani made strong gains in parliamentary elections, controlling the entire 30-seat delegation representing the capital, Tehran, and carving out an influential minority bloc. At the same time, the two most radical clerics were ousted from the Assembly of Experts, a panel with the constitutional duty to select the nation’s next supreme leader, should that position become vacant.
While the hard-liners still remain firmly in control of the judiciary, security forces and much of the economy, the success of the moderate, pragmatic and pro-government forces seemed to have lent new momentum to Mr. Rouhani’s efforts to chart a course of greater liberalization at home and accommodation abroad. The voting was seen as a referendum of sorts on the nuclear deal, and virtually every prominent critic of the pact was defeated.
In the parliamentary elections, Mr. Rouhani and the moderates swept all 30 seats in the capital and appeared to run strongly in many other urban areas. While the numbers remain hazy, pending the release of official results by the Interior Ministry, Mr. Rouhani’s camp appears to have won a strong minority position, with no dominant faction. The results also gave some weight to President Obama’s carefully couched hopes that the nuclear deal — which was heavily criticized by his American political adversaries — might introduce changes that could gradually bring Iran out of its confrontational posture with the West and, most pointedly, the United States.
The moderates also did well in the other election, for the 88-member Assembly of Experts, a panel that will name the successor to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is 76 and has had health problems. The election’s final results, which have not yet been made public, are not about to fundamentally alter Iran’s domestic or foreign policy, at least in the short term. But they do give momentum to a turn away from the most confrontational politics of the last president — Mahmoud Ahmadinejad — amid an electorate eager for Iran to emerge from decades of isolation.
Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a pragmatic former president, came in first in Tehran while President Rouhani was third. A prominent conservative scholar, Mohammad Kashani, was second. Two influential ayatollahs, spiritual leaders for the hard-line faction, did not make the threshold. “No more trivial debates, no more complaining of shaking hands with American officials, no more shouting and screaming from the Parliament seats,” said Farshad Ghorbanpour, an analyst with close ties to the Rouhani government. “The next Parliament will support the government, it will be reasonable and rational.”
The voting was seen as a referendum of sorts on the nuclear deal, and virtually every prominent critic of the pact was defeated. The results also gave some weight to President Obama’s carefully couched hopes that the deal might introduce changes that could gradually bring Iran out of its confrontational posture with the West and, most pointedly, the United States. While the hard-liners still remain firmly in control of the judiciary, security forces and much of the economy, the success of the moderate, pragmatic and pro-government forces seemed to give Mr. Rouhani political currency to push a course of greater liberalization of the economy at home and accommodation abroad.
By Monday afternoon, in the absence of official results, numbers were being thrown around freely. State television reported on Sunday that the hard-liners had won, and then reversed itself on Monday and gave the moderates the win. In the parliamentary elections, Mr. Rouhani and the moderates not only swept all seats in the capital but also appeared to run strongly in many other urban areas.
Part of the problem was that so many candidates had been eliminated by a conservative vetting council that it was hard to know what faction some of the winners identified with. The moderates also did well in the other election, for the 88-member Assembly of Experts, a panel that may be choosing the successor to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is 76 and has had health problems.
Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a pragmatic and centrist former president, came in first in Tehran’s voting for the Assembly of Experts. He has long advocated stronger economic ties with the West and once suggested it was time to end the chant “Death to America” during Friday Prayer. Mr. Rouhani came in third place for a seat on the Assembly, and while a prominent conservative scholar, Mohammad Kashani, was second, two influential ayatollahs, spiritual leaders for the hard-line faction, lost their seats.
By Monday afternoon, in the absence of official results, conclusions were being thrown around freely. State television reported on Sunday that the hard-liners had won, and then reversed itself on Monday and gave the moderates the victory.
Part of the problem was that so many candidates had been eliminated by a conservative vetting council that it was hard to know what faction some of the winners identified with. There are no political parties in Iran and the candidates all run in loose coalitions along a relatively narrow political spectrum. There is no opposition to speak of and the range of views was sharply curtailed when the reform movement was crushed after protesting what it called the fraudulent results of the 2009 election.
But it seemed clear that Iran’s ailing hard-line faction, having used every weapon in its arsenal against the moderate supporters of the Rouhani government, had come up short. In addition to the disqualification of thousands of candidates, street campaigning was kept to a minimum and grass-roots activists were detained and intimidated.But it seemed clear that Iran’s ailing hard-line faction, having used every weapon in its arsenal against the moderate supporters of the Rouhani government, had come up short. In addition to the disqualification of thousands of candidates, street campaigning was kept to a minimum and grass-roots activists were detained and intimidated.
When Election Day came, the president’s support base of middle-class Iranians turned out in big numbers, even though the overall turnout declined to 62 percent from 64 percent four years ago. A diverse bunch of Gucci lovers, student philosophers and family men carrying children wearing ‘‘Frozen’’ shirts, they came out for revenge against the hard-liners and appear to have exacted it. When Election Day came, the president’s support base of middle-class Iranians turned out in big numbers, even though the overall turnout declined to 62 percent from 64 percent four years ago. A diverse group of Gucci lovers, student philosophers and family men carrying children wearing ‘‘Frozen’’ shirts, they came out for revenge against the hard-liners and appear to have exacted it.
Hard-liners, representatives of the sharper edges of Iran’s Islamic revolutionary ideology, have long had trouble attracting a large voter base. Iranian society has changed at lighting speed over the past 15 years, with the middle classes feeling more and more alienated by the harsh hard-line rhetoric against the United States, Western culture and any form of social relaxation. Hard-liners, representatives of the sharper edges of Iran’s Islamic revolutionary ideology, have long had trouble attracting a large voter base. Iranian society has changed rapidly over the past 15 years, with the middle classes feeling more alienated by the harsh, hard-line political talk against the United States, Western culture and any form of social relaxation.
Obtaining a strong minority in Parliament is not only Mr. Rouhani’s victory but also the result of a broader trend where the Iranian political discourse is shifting away from a polarized universe of hard-line versus reformist. Those supporting Mr. Rouhani prefer to call themselves pragmatists, centrists and moderates. Obtaining a strong minority in Parliament is not only Mr. Rouhani’s victory but also the result of a broader trend in which the Iranian political discourse is shifting away from a polarized universe of hard-liner versus reformist. Those supporting Mr. Rouhani prefer to call themselves pragmatists, centrists and moderates.
The victory is big, but those expecting major social change in Iran will be proved wrong, both supporters of the government and hard-liners say. Those who made it into Parliament under the banner of reforms seem mostly to be cautious politicians. The original reformist leaders, who have pleaded for radical changes in law and ideology, are either in jail or not allowed to participate in the political process. While the victory is significant, those expecting major social change in Iran will be proved wrong, both supporters of the government and hard-liners say. Those who made it into Parliament under the banner of reforms seem mostly to be cautious politicians. The original reformist leaders, who have pleaded for radical changes in law and ideology, are either in jail or prohibited from participating in the political process.
“They will quickly face division among themselves, since the supporters of the government is a mixed bag of individuals with different political backgrounds,” said Hamidreza Taraghi, a political analyst close to Iran’s leadership. “To write off the hard-liners would be a major mistake.”“They will quickly face division among themselves, since the supporters of the government is a mixed bag of individuals with different political backgrounds,” said Hamidreza Taraghi, a political analyst close to Iran’s leadership. “To write off the hard-liners would be a major mistake.”
Nevertheless, it is increasingly clear that Ayatollah Khamenei is supporting the moderate trend, at least in foreign policy and on economic issues. He was the main architect of the nuclear agreement. While he continues to warn against the United States, he has allowed continuing contacts between his foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, and Secretary of State John Kerry. He also welcomes and meets with European heads of state, most recently the president of Switzerland, Johann Schneider-Ammann, on Friday, urging them to invest in Iran. Nevertheless, it is increasingly clear that Ayatollah Khamenei is supporting the moderate trend, at least in foreign policy and on economic issues. He was the main architect of the nuclear agreement. While he continues to warn against the United States, he has allowed continuing contacts between his foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, and Secretary of State John Kerry. He also welcomes and meets with European heads of state, most recently the president of Switzerland, Johann Schneider-Ammann, on Friday, urging the Swiss to invest in Iran.
In Tehran, the epicenter of middle-class culture, Mr. Rouhani has been criticized for his failure to deliver on any of his promises of more freedom and domestic political change. But fear of another four years of hard-liners in Parliament, combined with the successful nuclear deal and the lifting of the sanctions, prompted many to come out and vote for the president and his followers.In Tehran, the epicenter of middle-class culture, Mr. Rouhani has been criticized for his failure to deliver on any of his promises of more freedom and domestic political change. But fear of another four years of hard-liners in Parliament, combined with the successful nuclear deal and the lifting of the sanctions, prompted many to come out and vote for the president and his followers.
At a polling station in Shahrak-e Gharb, in western Tehran, families joined the local older men who pass the days in a neighboring park for hours of waiting before casting their ballots. “I’m not into politics,” said Reza Sharji, a 35-year-old graphic designer with a long hipster beard. “But I do know what I don’t want, that is more hard-liners.”At a polling station in Shahrak-e Gharb, in western Tehran, families joined the local older men who pass the days in a neighboring park for hours of waiting before casting their ballots. “I’m not into politics,” said Reza Sharji, a 35-year-old graphic designer with a long hipster beard. “But I do know what I don’t want, that is more hard-liners.”
Social change is highly sensitive, and efforts there seem likely to meet continuing resistance. But economic changes and an opening to the world, a major focus of Mr. Rouhani’s government, might gain greater support. The shift toward the political middle gives Iran’s president the support of moderate conservatives, like the current head of the Parliament, Ali Larijani. To do so, they will have to overcome hard-line resistance to foreign investment and ownership of Iranian assets. Social change is a highly delicate matter, and efforts there seem likely to meet continuing resistance. But economic changes and an opening to the world, a major focus of Mr. Rouhani’s government, might gain greater support. The shift toward the political middle gives Iran’s president the support of moderate conservatives, like the current head of the Parliament, Ali Larijani. To do so, they will have to overcome hard-line resistance to foreign investment and ownership of Iranian assets.
They are optimistic they can. “Now, such criticisms can be ignored,” said Mosayyeb Naemi, the editor in chief of a pro-government weekly. “The next Parliament will surely support the new economic policies.”They are optimistic they can. “Now, such criticisms can be ignored,” said Mosayyeb Naemi, the editor in chief of a pro-government weekly. “The next Parliament will surely support the new economic policies.”
For those who came out in large numbers on Friday, the government victory, gnawing away at hard-liner power, was sweet, but their expectations remain low.For those who came out in large numbers on Friday, the government victory, gnawing away at hard-liner power, was sweet, but their expectations remain low.
“We need better conditions for youths, women and minorities,” said Tahoura Ayati, a 26-year-old translator of English literature. “I really hope for change, that is all I can say.”“We need better conditions for youths, women and minorities,” said Tahoura Ayati, a 26-year-old translator of English literature. “I really hope for change, that is all I can say.”