Al-Ittihad, United Arab Emirates, Originally posted in Arabic on January 30
Several experts on Iranian affairs have recently told me that the upcoming elections scheduled for February 26 are going to be the most important ones held in the Republic since the 1979 revolution. The main reason behind this is their timing: they are scheduled to take place shortly after the signing of the nuclear agreement and immediately after the lifting of the sanctions on Teheran.
Hawks affiliated with the current regime and the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have launched an aggressive campaign in recent days, aimed at ensuring their victory in the elections. They are concerned for a reason.
In 2009, while the Green Revolution was taking place, Khamenei’s camp lost the popular vote and resorted to manipulating the election results. This time, however, they don’t have such a luxury. All eyes, both at home and abroad, are set on the Supreme Leader and his affiliates. Even President Hassan Rouhani recently claimed that “the Parliament is the house of the people” and that there is no purpose in holding elections “unless there is a fair competition”.
Thus, with careful optimism, Iranian moderates and reformists are hoping that the recent deal with the West will mobilize the people to cast a liberal vote. Such a sway in the public’s stance would allow Teheran to restore its relations with the United States.
Hardliners, in the meantime, are doing everything they can to keep the current elites in power. And given Iran’s involvement in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Lebanon — the next elections could be crucial not only for the Mullahs, but also for the region as a whole. – Hazem Saghia