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Friday, June 14, 2013

ELECTION DAY IN IRAN

Nadene Goldfoot                                                                

                                             View of Northern Tehran, Iran
                                         
Today is Election Day in  Iran. Iran is the 6th largest Muslim majority state in the world with 76,923,300 or more people.  It is 98% Muslim Shi'a of the Jafari fiqh.   50 million voters could go to the polls.  The good news is that Ahmadinejad is stepping down after serving 2 terms in office as President.  There are 3 contenders for his position.

1.  Saeed Jilili:  (b: September 6, 1965) Age 47, white hair, Secretary of Supreme National Security Council since 2007,  Iran's chief negotiator in the nuclear program.  He's for nuclear energy and the present program that is threatening Israel and the whole Middle East.  He just warned the nations against unconstructive measures that harm negotiations.  He was the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2005-2007.  "A European Union official who met Jalili "was struck by his seeming inability or unwillingness to deviate from the same presentation ... calling him ‘a true product of the Iranian revolution’."

2.  Mohammed Baqer Ghalibaf, PhD: (b: August 23, 1961) Age 52, receding black hairline He's a member of the Islamic Revolution  and the mayor of Tehran. was commander of Iranian Police Force, PhD in political geography, a pilot, served in 1980's Iran-Iraq War, Professor at U. of Tehran, and has many credentials.  His resume is huge, but he lost to Ahmadinejad in the previous election.
                                                                       
3.  Hassan Rowhani, PhD: (b: November 12, 1948) Age 64, gray hair, white turbaned, white bearded, politician and Mujtahid.  "Mujtahid is recognized as an Islamic scholar who is competent in interpretting sharia by ijtihad. Today, there are many different opinions surrounding the role of ijtihad in modern society, and whether or not the “doors of ijtihad are closed.” He was a nuclear negotiator and the more moderate of the three. He is a cleric and has "membership in the Assembly of Experts and Expediency Council and Supreme National Security Council.".Liberals and moderates will vote for him.  He would also improve women's standing and that of ethnic minorities.  He has received a "bachelor’s degree in judicial law in 1972."  Then he continued and has a "master’s degree in public law followed by a doctorate degree from Glasgow Caledonian University.  "Hassan Rouhani is considered a leading candidate in the June election because of his centrist views and close ties to Iran’s ruling clerics."

Will this be an honestly run election?  Is there any credibility here?  Everyone knows they have to be beholden to the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the end.  Many people are thinking of boycotting this election.  It is said that the president has little control so that the winner will make little changes.

Resource:  http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/168921#.UbtC5eeOTqE
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/50-million-Iranians-head-to-polls-to-replace-Ahmadinejad-316529
http://www.euronews.com/2013/06/14/hassan-rohani-liberals-hope-in-iran/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Bagher_Ghalibaf
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4248908,00.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_presidential_election,_2013
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saeed_Jalili
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Muslim-majority_countries
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hassan_Rouhani
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ijtihad
http://www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-iran-president-election-uncertain-20130613,0,5777272.story

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