[Al Arabiya Latest] Iran will choose a new president on Friday in what is emerging as a two-horse race between moderate ex-premier Mir Hossein Mousavi and incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose turbulent four years in office have been marked by a nuclear standoff with the West and deep economic crisis.
The country is gearing up for a tense battle in Friday's election after a campaign of mudslinging and unusually feisty televised debates between the four candidates.
Running alongside Ahmadinejad and Mousavi are reformist ex-parliament speaker Mehdi Karroubi, the only cleric among the candidates, and the conservative former head of the elite Revolutionary Guards Corps, Mohsen Rezai.
Two-horse race
" The core of Iran's foreign policy after the election will revolve around how to respond to Obama's moves and managing the nuclear talks with global powers "
Political analyst Mashaallah Shamsolvaezin
But the race has become a straight fight between Ahmadinejad -- the hardline outspoken son of a blacksmith, and Mousavi -- the last man to hold the post of premier who steered the economy during Iran's war with Iraq in the 1980s.
The next Iranian president will take power at a defining moment for the Islamic republic's foreign policy with diplomatic overtures from American President Barack Obama offering a chance to turn the page.
For years Iran has derided the United States as the "Great Satan," while Obama's predecessor George W. Bush labeled Tehran part of an "axis of evil" and refused to rule out military action over Iran's nuclear program.
But now Tehran has an opportunity to mend three decades of broken relations with Washington and pursue a negotiated solution to the nuclear standoff with the West which has seen the U.N. Security Council impose three sets of sanctions.
The next president will not take the big decisions -- the Iranian political system gives the final say on strategic issues to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But whoever wins this month's election will play the key role in implementing the policy and handling what may be a turning point in Iran's relations with the outside world.
"The core of Iran's foreign policy after the election will revolve around how to respond to Obama's moves and managing the nuclear talks with global powers," political analyst Mashaallah Shamsolvaezin told AFP.
"Until now, it was easy for Iran to blast the United States, especially after what Bush did," Shamsolvaezin said.
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Posted by: Fred ||
06/10/2009 00:00 ||
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[Al Arabiya Latest] Former Iranian president Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani called for a "clean and glorious" election after incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad verbally attacked him during an electoral debate, Iranian news agencies reported on Tuesday.
"In the time left, it seems necessary that the nation's and your demand to hold clean and glorious elections with high turnout be met," Rafsanjani said in an open letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei three days before the upcoming elections. "This can save the country from dangers and create national trust and unity," he added.
Rafsanjani's letter came after Ahmadinejad accused the former president and his family of corruption and embezzlement during last week's live televised debate against moderate challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi.
Ahmadinejad went on to charge that some of Mousavi's supporters, especially sons of Rafsanjani, had received financial privileges in the past.
"I am expecting you to resolve this position in order to extinguish the fire, whose smoke can be seen in the atmosphere, and to foil dangerous plots," Rafsanjani said in the letter to Khamenei.
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Posted by: Fred ||
06/10/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
John Goodman in a turban? When did he move to Iran? /sarc
#2
Sgt. Shultz. Changed the uniform but kept the ideology.
Posted by: ed ||
06/10/2009 13:48 Comments ||
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#3
VARIOUS > it would appear that POTUS BAMMER = akin to IRAN's AHMADINEJAD in the number of pan-dimens, local and international issues + probs both national leadres are andor will face in the future, espec after 2010 for MOUD???
IOW, US "MESSIAH" vs. IRAN'S "MESSIAH", MADONNA vs Osama-Babe WHITNEY HUSTON, etc.
OOOOOOOOOOO, you just know [ + want] a JEDI = HEAVENLY BATTLE in there somewhere.
[Al Arabiya Latest] As the ruling majority March 14 coalition won Lebanon's elections and dealt a blow to the Hezbollah-led March 8 party, a prominent Lebanese scholar said it is was unlikely that further wars or assassinations would take place in the country, hit hard by four years of turmoil.
Shiite sheikh Mohammaed Hassan al-Amin said that the current regional and international circumstances do not encourage further divisions or confrontations and dismissed speculation that Lebanon's Shiites would be sidelined.
" The Lebanese voted for their sovereign, unified nation that is no longer subordinate to any local or external power. They proved that they pledge allegiance to Lebanon before anything else "
Mohammaed Hassan al-Amin
"It is unlikely that further unrest takes place in the south," he said. "Since the end of the July 2006 war, the south has been calm and peacekeeping forces are doing their job there."
Amin added that any decision related to war or peace should be taken by the entire Lebanese state and that this could be in coordination with the resistance.
When asked how the loss of the March 8 coalition would affect Shiites in Lebanon, Amin replied that the results do not marginalize the country's Shiites or make a deprived minority of them.
"The political system transcends sectarianism, plus the results could be looked at positively since few Shiites voted in the elections. The Shiite political powers in Lebanon do not necessarily represent the Shiite people," he said.
Amin added that not all Shiites are represented in the parliament and that a new election law will change the quota and will lead to the emergence of new Shiite faces other than the incumbent ones.
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Posted by: Fred ||
06/10/2009 00:00 ||
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Saad Hariri, the billionaire businessman and son of the slain former Lebanese prime minister, is emerging as the favourite to lead Lebanon's government after his pro-Western coalition fended off a serious challenge from Hezbollah in weekend elections.
Legislative allies on Tuesday said Hariri, a 39-year-old moderate Muslim and leader of the largest parliamentary bloc in the winning coalition, is expected to replace his ally Fuad Saniora. Hariri's alliance dealt a major setback to Hezbollah in Sunday's vote, gaining 68 seats to the opposing group's 57.
Hezbollah's loss removed one potential obstacle to Obama's renewed push for Mideast peace. The group fought a 2006 war against Israel and there were fears that if it gained more power, there could be another conflict.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, in calm words on Monday, recognised the results and offered to cooperate with the winners. "A chance to build a strong and fair state still exists. All agree that there are crises facing us at all levels," he said. "We are in a new stage and in a new situation."
In a victory speech on Monday, Hariri called on the Lebanese to close ranks. "We must extend a hand to each other, roll up our sleeves and work together for the benefit of Lebanon," he said.
The makeup of the new parliament, almost identical to the outgoing one, means that many of the questions that have dogged the fractious nation, such as what to do with Hezbollah's arsenal, remain. And that could translate into renewed political deadlock in this sharply polarised, volatile nation.
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Posted by: Fred ||
06/10/2009 00:00 ||
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[Iran Press TV Latest] Three more suspects have been charged with spying for Israel in Lebanon as the security forces continue the crackdown on spy networks in the country. ... further reinforcing my suspicion that the Zionist entity has managed to recruit pretty much everyone in Leb into a single network.
One of the three who were accused of "collaborating with the Israeli enemy," is already in custody, while the others remain at large, said a judicial official on Tuesday. "Hello? Is this the travel agency?... I'd like to book a flight... No, I don't care where..."
Lebanon has so far charged at least 58 suspects for spying and has arrested almost 100 others on suspicion of espionage since it launched a major crackdown on spy networks almost two months ago. Army sources also announced earlier that the country has dismantled at least 25 Israeli spy cells throughout the country this year.
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Posted by: Fred ||
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Syria expressed Tuesday its content with the outcomes of the Lebanese parliamentary elections and reiterated its keenness for its neighbor's unity and stability.
This came in a statement by the Syrian President's mouthpiece Political and Media Advisor Buthaina Shaaban.
She was quoted by the state-run news agency, SANA, as saying that the elections were an internal Lebanese matter, but Syria was content with the smoothness with which the process went. She reiterated her country's keenness for the unity, stability and prosperity of Lebanon, and its willingness to assist it to achieve these goals.
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[Al Arabiya Latest] Former Iranian president Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani called for a "clean and glorious" election after incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad verbally attacked him during an electoral debate, Iranian news agencies reported on Tuesday.
Saad Hariri, the billionaire businessman and son of the slain former Lebanese prime minister, is emerging as the favourite to lead Lebanon's government after his pro-Western coalition fended off a serious challenge from Hezbollah in weekend elections.
[Iran Press TV Latest] Three more suspects have been charged with spying for Israel in Lebanon as the security forces continue the crackdown on spy networks in the country. 
