Behind Iran's 'Moderate' New Leader

The Wall Street Journal ^ | June 16, 2013 | SOHRAB AHMARI

[presidio9]

So this is what democracy looks like in a theocratic dictatorship. Iran's presidential campaign season kicked off last month when an unelected body of 12 Islamic jurists disqualified more than 600 candidates. Women were automatically out; so were Iranian Christians, Jews and even Sunni Muslims. The rest, including a former president, were purged for possessing insufficient revolutionary zeal. Eight regime loyalists made it onto the ballots. One emerged victorious on Saturday.

That man is Hassan Rohani, a 64-year-old cleric, former nuclear negotiator and security apparatchik. Western journalists quickly hailed the "moderate" and "reformist" Mr. Rohani. The New York Times's Tehran correspondent couldn't repress his election-night euphoria on Twitter: "Tonight the Islamic Republic rocks Rohani style." A BBC correspondent gushed: "The reaction of the people showed how much they trusted the electoral system." Just hours earlier the broadcaster had condemned Iranian security forces for threatening to assassinate a BBC Persian journalist in London, but such is the Western media's hunger for good news from Tehran.

Turnout was high, with more than 70% of eligible voters casting ballots. That figure should be taken with a grain of salt, since voting is obligatory for many sectors of Iranian society. Still, some of the victory parties in Tehran and other cities did seem genuine, with voters taking to the streets to celebrate the end of a Mahmoud Ahmadinejad era that saw a rise in repression and in economic hardship caused by the regime's mounting international isolation.

But disillusionment with seemingly heroic new leaders promising change is a centuries-old theme in Iranian history. The current regime's theocratic structure—with a supreme leader, the Ayatollah Khamenei, and numerous unaccountable bodies lording over popularly elected officials—will soon remind voters that this latest hero has little room to maneuver.

That is, if he's inclined to

[fhayek]

Sorry to recycle an old cliché, but the only moderate muslim is an ex-mulim.

[presidio9]

Judging by the name, I think it’s safe to assume that the author of this article is a muslim. And moderate.

[alstewartfan]

The “moderate” Muslims are the ones who will allow you to wear a blindfold before you are beheaded. Bob

[flaglady47]

How old is the top cleric Khameini now. Shouldn’t he be about 150 years old or so? Shouldn’t he be at the drop dead at any moment stage of his life? I hope so, sooner than later.

[flaglady47]

whoops, that’s Khamenei above.

[Cindy]

http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html

http://forum.internet-haganah.com/forumdisplay.php?29-Iran-Islamic-Revolution

http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/en/Iran

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http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/en/article/20529

“Spotlight on Iran - Who is Hassan Rowhani, Iran’s president-elect?”
June 17, 2013 - Khordad 27, 1392

editor : Dr. Raz Zimmt

“Who is Hassan Rowhani, Iran’s president-elect?”

SNIPPET: “Rowhani was born in 1948 in the north Iranian city of Sorkheh, Semnan Province. He is a cleric who carries the title Hojjat-ol-Eslam. In 1960 he began studying religion in Semnan Province and then transferred to the religious seminary in the city of Qom. As a young man he was involved in the revolutionary movement against the Shah, for which he was arrested on several occasions by Iran’s security services. In 1978 he joined Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic revolution, who was living in exile in Paris.”

SNIPPET: “Since 1999 he has also been a member of the Assembly of Experts, which oversees the activity of the Supreme Leader. In addition, he has held a number of security positions, including chairman of the Majles Defense Committee (1985-1989), deputy commander-in-chief during the Iran-Iraq War (1988-1989), supreme commander of civil defense (1985-1990), and commander of the Khatam-ol-Anbiya Headquarters.

His most notable position so far has been secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (1989-2005). He is still Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s personal representative on the council. As secretary of the council, he was put in charge by Khamenei of Iran’s nuclear case and represented Iran in the nuclear talks with the international community.”