Posted on 04/25/2005 4:02:33 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
Top News Story
Rafsanjani confirms he’s running for Iran’s presidency
AlJazeera.com:
Powerful Iranian cleric Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani announced on Monday that he was standing again for president in the country's June 17 election, official media said.
“The issue of the presidency is my current preoccupation and although I would like somebody else to take this responsibility, I think I should take this bitter medicine,” Rafsanjani, who heads the Expediency Council was, a powerful policy-making body, was quoted as saying by official IRNA news agency.
He has for months been openly mulling a bid to take back Iran’s number two job, and has been widely seen as a front-runner for the presidency.
Analysts expect Rafsanjani, a moderate conservative who held the presidency from 1989 to 1997, to win in the country’s June 17 vote.
"What I didn'twant to happen is happening now."
Rafsanjani’s broad political support and reputation make him a strong candidate to replace outgoing cleric Mohamed Khatami, according to political analysts.
Khatami, who struggled for eight years against hardline resistance to his policy of improved social and political rights, is not allowed to run for a third consecutive term.
"The return of Rafsanjani may revive the faded glory of the presidential office and also serve to create a unifying force since he appears to be acceptable to most, if not all, sides of the political divide," the liberal Iran Daily has said.
"Perhaps Rafsanjani may not come back on a popular vote like Khatami, but the aura of power and authority surrounding him may yet make him the most suitable person for the top job."
June's elections come as Iran faces mounting international pressure over its nuclear program as well as discontent among the Iranian people about the cost of living and lack of jobs.
"There are many good and able figures in the country but there are no strong (political) parties to introduce them and people will not vote for someone unless they know them well," Rafsanjani, said on Monday.
DoctorZin:
The western media is going to love this. They want to believe he is a moderate. But his past statements make it clear that he is anything but a moderate:
"If a day comes when the world of Islam is duly equipped with the arms Israel has in possession, the strategy of colonialism would face a stalemate because application of an atomic bomb would not leave any thing in Israel but the same thing would just produce damages in the Muslim world."This is the man the western media wants to run Iran. The people of Iran despise Rafsanjani. Rafsanjani ran for parliament and lost. He is considered by many as the real power behind the regime and perhaps it most corrupt. Now is not the time for self-deception.
- Hoder reports Iranian Presidential candidate Larijani has been officially announced as the preferred candidate of conservatives.
- AlJazeera.com reports that Iran’s presidential candidate Ali Larijani said that Iran will consider policy changes only if the United States respects the Islamic republic and abandons its unilateral policies.
- Payvand's Iran News has just published a report on Iran’s Foreign Policy & its Key Decision Makers.
- Islamic Republic News Agency reports that an overwhelming majority of British voters are opposed to the US launching any military strikes against Iran.
- Lebanon's Daily Star reports that Iranian Ambassador Massoud Idrissi described the issue of Hizbullah's weapons and the Palestinian camps as Lebanon's internal affairs.
- The Jerusalem Post reports on a worldwide day of protest last week hoping to "break the silence" of the violation of human rights in Iran.
- Zeenews.com reports that Iraq's new leaders are saying that an Islamic regime will not be allowed in Iraq.
- ICFTU OnLine reports that independent labour activists in Iran are planning once again to hold May Day celebrations, despite fears of a repetition of last year's arrests.
- BBC News reports that Nobel Prize winner Shirin Ebadi's human rights group has criticisms the fact that women will not be allowed to run in Iran's June presidential elections.
- Turkish Press reports that an Iranian hardline political watchdog has ordered that a contract with Turkish telecoms company Turkcell for Iran's second mobile telephone network must undergo more changes.
- Reuters is reporting that Iranian authorities are rounding up ringleaders of ethnic unrest in the oil-rich southwest.
- Khaleej Times Online reports that the mayor of Iran’s second largest city has been beaten up after he challenged workers on an illegal construction site. It was reported to have been set upon for five hours.
- The American Thinker reports that the London Arab daily Al-Hayat published a report on Iran's current preparedness for an American or Israeli attack.
- WorldNetDaily.com reports that Iran is already testing ballistic missiles specifically designed to destroy America's technical infrastructure, effectively neutralizing the world's lone superpower.
- FOX News spoke with two retired generals and a military expert, who outlined some of the options on the table for the Pentagon.
- And finally, Adventures of Chester watched with interest the FoxNews Special on Iran and posted his thoughts.
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In the early 80's, Rafsanjani actually was a stablizing force within the regime. I'm not confident he believed or practice his moderate political stance at the time, but he talked it fairly well.
Good point!
Its all a sham.
I see through many news resources you plan too attack my Country. I must tell you, your attempt will end up in your total destruction. We have the power too destroy the world 5 times over. You are nothing. Just another arrogant dictator. Go ahead, launch it. I dare you. You will end up like nazi Germany, Imperialist Japan, Saddam and his sons. What are you going to do? We are not afraid. Your own people are now plotting against you. America is sending millions of dollars too these groups. The walls are closing in on you , you can't stop it. Freedom will come too the people of Iran. And soon, very soon, you will go down in history, as another tyrant destroyed. And your destruction is at hand. We forgive you for killing our children, we can not forgive you , for making us kill yours. The people of Iran will be free!
Jeff
http://www.president.ir/eng/ email the "president" of Iran, I did.
The first thing Rafsanjani will do is to try his best to normalize the US-Iranian Mullahs' relation.
Most hardliners in Iran do believe their final solution is to normalize the relation with the USA
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