The Hindu : Front Page : Iranians vote in significant numbers in crucial presidential elections

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Saturday, Jun 18, 2005

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Front Page

Iranians vote in significant numbers in crucial presidential elections

Atul Aneja

Polling takes place amid politically surcharged atmosphere

MANAMA: Iranian citizens on Friday voted for President at a time when forces of the arch-foe United States stay positioned in neighbouring Iraq and Afghanistan, and a young population flooding the job market is seeking more opportunities.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei who was among the first to cast his ballot after polls opened at 9 a.m. local time, urged people to vote in large numbers.

"No matter who we vote for — it's a vote for the system," the top cleric said. Iranians appeared to have voted in significant numbers, with long queues visible outside several polling stations in the capital.

Later, outgoing President Mohammad Khatami described the polling as "satisfactory."

Analysts point out that the legitimacy of the Islamic Revolution could have been called into question had many of the 47-million eligible voters, most of whom are below the age of 30, stayed away. Voting was scheduled to end at 7 p.m., but could be extended till midnight. Results are expected within 24 hours.

Interior Minister Abdolvahed Musavi Lari quoting opinion poll results had earlier predicted an above 50 per cent turnout.

He said his Ministry was prepared for a run-off election between the top two candidates, in case none out of the seven contestants got more than the mandatory 50 per cent votes cast in the first round.

Tight contest

A local polling institute said a tight contest was in the offing, with frontrunner Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani likely to win 24-28 per cent of votes. His nearest rival Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf was expected to poll 14-16 per cent, running neck-and-neck with former Education Minister Mostafa Moin who might get 12-15 per cent of the ballots cast.

Observers, however, have expressed caution about the accuracy of the opinion poll results, as a larger than expected turnout of young people might have improved Mr. Moin's chances. Analysts say the emergence of a new Presidency was unlikely to change the course of "strategic" decision-making on questions such nuclear energy, relations with the U.S. and special ties with Asian countries such as China and India.

"The Supreme leader's office would be in charge of such decisions. However, in case someone like Mr. Rafsanjani wins, he could influence decision making because of his extensive informal links within the establishment," Arshin Adib Moghaddam, a commentator on Iranian affairs told The Hindu ."

Candid discussions

With the ninth presidential election keenly contested, the atmosphere in the capital has been politically surcharged.

Discussions on state television during the campaign have been candid, with some of the contestants openly questioning the institution of the Supreme leader in the Iranian political system. Police in the capital were on edge ever since last week's twin explosions in Teheran and a spate of bombings in the oil-city of Ahvaz, less than 50 km from the Iraqi border.

Unlike in the past, candidates have avoided frontally attacking the U.S. during the campaign. Tensions between Teheran and Washington, however, surfaced prominently on the eve of elections, with U.S. President George Bush charging Iran with ignoring "the basic requirement of democracy."

Mr. Khamenei has hit back by accusing Iran's foreign "enemies" of encouraging voters to stay away from elections.

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