The people of Iran will turn to ballot boxes on Friday to elect the country’s twelfth president, after Iranian peoples’ revolution in 1979. The four presidential candidates in this election are polarized into reformists and conservatives. The Kurds don’t have too many options in this round of elections. However, looking back on the past, one can tell the Kurds have always cast their votes in these critical elections cautiously.
In 2017, the 12th round of elections, 1,636 people registered their candidacy. But only six were approved and two have since dropped out. The highest number of candidates for president was recorded this year. These presidential candidates are characterized as reformists and conservatives. The latter don’t have anything to offer to the Kurds, and the former have a four-year history of not committing to their election promises.
Ebrahim Raisi and Mostafa Mir Salim are from the conservative front. But the media’s attention, especially that of the west, is more on Raisi as he is the leader of one of the most important Shiite shrines, the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad. He is close to the Iranian leader. He is also the Special Clerical Court prosecutor.
Raisi was in the past regarded as a likely replacement of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. This prediction became stronger after he registered his candidacy for president of the country. In the beginning, conservatives asked him on several occasions to register his candidacy. Then, the conservative Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces put him on their list of candidates for president.
Raisi won most votes in Front’s convention held to elect its top candidates. He, however, initially turned down the request to register his candidacy. But he later officially registered his candidacy, declaring he belonged to no political parties.
His chance to become Iran’s next leader will grow after he wins the confidence of the Iranian people in this 12th round of elections.
Raisi became especially known when he was appointed leader of the Imam Reza Shrine which is
known as an important tourism locale for the country. It has nearly 40 companies. The shrine makes up nearly half of the city of Mashhad. It runs a number of projects dealing with education, society, culture, media, economy and health.
Raisi was given a position in the court when he was young by Khomeini. Raisi is known as a member of Marg Body (Death Body).
Last year, Khomeini’s deputy, Ayatollah Montazeri, released a voice recording in which he accuses Raisi and three other people of killing thousands of political prisoners in Iran, calling them criminals.
Raisi visited eastern Kurdistan recently. He has also met with religious figures from the Sunni sect in Tehran. But his agenda doesn’t encompass the demands of the Kurds.
‘Labor and Honor’ is Raisi’s election slogan. In his visit to Sirjan, he talked about economic problems, unemployment, poverty, marginalization and corruption, stressing these need to be resolved.
“There are no differences between the Sunnis and the Shiites. These people have their own way of writing, which is a right given to them by God. They should have their own way of writing, according to basic laws,” Raisi had said in his meeting with Sunni figures in Sirjan.
Some influential conservatives have already endorsed Raisi.
Seyed Mostafa Mir-Salim is a candidate of the Islamic Coalition Party which had candidates in past elections. But they have never won.
Mir-Salim was in charge of the office of president and high consultations during the presidency of Khamenei. He was culture minister during Rafsanjani presidency. His slogans focus on economy. He doesn’t focus on the rights of the Kurds or other nations in Iran.
Conservatives accuse Rouhani of failing in his economic policies and that he hasn’t done much for the Kurds, hoping that people will vote for them.
Dr Mohammed Qadami is a conservative who registered his candidacy but was later rejected. He said: “The Rouhani group has nothing new to say. Hence, conservatives can win over fans of reformists if they speak the language of the people.”
“Eastern Kurdistan is the place of reformists in which it is impossible that people will vote for conservatives,” political analysts say.
Luqman Studa, member of central council of Daawa and reform group says in order for conservatives to win in eastern Kurdistan, they should raise a slogan that assures people that they will not be denied.
“The question of the identity of the sidelined is discussed by all parties. This is a good thing. This was the reformists’ rhetoric in 1997. It has never been the conservatives’,” he said. “That is why it is a good thing.
“People are aware. I don’t think economic slogans will change their opinion.”
Conservatives focus on economy in this round of presidential elections. They support low income and poor people. They promise creating millions of job opportunities. They also say that subsidies, which are currently $15 for any person, will increase. But economic analysts think this will create problems and the government cannot afford it.
The Reformists: Rouhani and Hashemi Taba
The reformists now have two candidates: Hassan Rouhani and Sayed Mostafa Hashemi Taba with Eshaq Jahangiri having dropped out.
Rouhani won 50 percent of the votes carrying the Prudence and Hope slogan. Most people from eastern Kurdistan voted for him. He won 71 percent of the votes in the province of Sirjan. He wouldn’t be president if Kurds didn’t vote for him. He is the only president who promised “nations of Iran” in a 10-article statement. This helped him win votes of these groups.
But he didn’t commit to all of his promises. He promised highest positions, positions of ministers, would be given to minorities. Only a Kurd from Kurdish Sunni sect was appointed deputy minister of oil. Also, for the first time a Sunni Kurd was appointed ambassador.
People from other nations should have been given positions of authority in their own regions, according to Rouhani’s promises. Three years ago while introducing Sirjan’s new governor, Iran’s interior minister said that he tried hard to appoint someone from the province. But there was no one worthy of this position.
Rouhani’s fourth promise was to study in the mother tongue. But this was not implemented in schools. Only a Kurdish language and literature department was opened in Sirjan University taking students for the past two years.
It was also promised that right of religious minorities be protected. But Yarsan people in eastern Kurdistan are dissatisfied saying they are being discriminated against and their rights violated. Sunnis have no mosque in Tehran yet.
It was also promised that economic infrastructure of Kurdish regions be developed and a special budget be dedicated to compensate for overlooked areas in the region. But unemployment is still the main problem in eastern Kurdistan.
It was promised that somebody would be assigned to fulfill Rouhani’s promises. But no one was assigned. An assistant was appointed to deal with the question of nations and religious minorities who was previously minister of Ettela’at (intelligence agency). This caused protests by activists. He didn’t do anything other than meeting with activists from other nations.
Rouhani had said in his election campaign that he remembers all his promises. Some Kurdish activists say there is no better alternative to Rouhani and therefore will support him. Some others say they support him on condition he fulfills the promises he gave to the Kurds. Some say they should pin their hopes on him.
Hashmi Taba is a reformist, but weak candidate. He hasn’t shown the kind of character in his election campaign to help him win support. He focuses on environmental issues in his campaigns.
Kurds’ dissatisfaction goes back to the Revolution
Eleven rounds of elections were held in Iran following Khomeini’s Iranian peoples’ revolution in 1979. In these elections, 3743 had registered their candidacy. But only 145 candidates were approved by the country’s Guardian Council. It was only in the first round of elections where many candidates were allowed to take part in the race.
The first election was held on January 1, 1980, in which 124 people registered their candidacy, but only 96 were approved. In this election, the Kurds supported Massoud Rajavi, leader of the People's Mujahedin of Iran. Under pressure from the founder of the Islamic Republic, Khomeini, Rajavi was not allowed to participate in the election. Hence, Kurdistan boycotted the election, where the voter turnout was the least, merely 8.12 percent.
The second round of elections was held two years later, during which the Guardian Council was formed. The creation of this body subjected presidential candidates to more screening. In this election, only four candidates were approved out of the 71 people who had registered their candidacy.
Kurds still waiting for a candidate who can deliver
Looking back on past elections, one can see the Kurds being cautious as to who they choose to support. For example, in the sixth round of elections held in 1993, the Kurds of eastern Kurdistan voted ‘No’ to the reelection of Rafsanjani who had not paid any attention to Kurdistan’s economy. During his reign as president, leaders of the Democratic Party, Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou and Sadegh Sharafkandi, were assassinated. That is why the Kurds voted for Ahmed Tawakuli, who was a rival to Rafsanjani.
This kind of meaningful vote in eastern Kurdistan was repeated in other rounds of presidential elections. In the elections held in 1997 and 2001, Mohammad Khatami carried the ‘civil society and tolerance’ slogan, which is why the Kurds voted for him.
In the ninth round of elections held in 2005, in which Rafsanjani and Ahmadinejad were candidates, the Kurds voted for the reformist Mehdi Karroubi. No one got the majority in this election. Hence, Rafsanjani and Ahmadinejad had to go to the second round. There was again the least voter turnout in this election in eastern Kurdistan. There were 1.32 million people entitled to vote in Sirjan. In the second round, only 257,643 people voted.
In the 2009 elections, where the conservative Ahmadinejad was reelected, the Kurds voted for the reformist Mir-Hossein Mousavi.
In 2017, the 12th round of elections, 1,636 people registered their candidacy. But only six were approved and two have since dropped out. The highest number of candidates for president was recorded this year. These presidential candidates are characterized as reformists and conservatives. The latter don’t have anything to offer to the Kurds, and the former have a four-year history of not committing to their election promises.
Ebrahim Raisi and Mostafa Mir Salim are from the conservative front. But the media’s attention, especially that of the west, is more on Raisi as he is the leader of one of the most important Shiite shrines, the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad. He is close to the Iranian leader. He is also the Special Clerical Court prosecutor.
Raisi was in the past regarded as a likely replacement of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. This prediction became stronger after he registered his candidacy for president of the country. In the beginning, conservatives asked him on several occasions to register his candidacy. Then, the conservative Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces put him on their list of candidates for president.
Raisi won most votes in Front’s convention held to elect its top candidates. He, however, initially turned down the request to register his candidacy. But he later officially registered his candidacy, declaring he belonged to no political parties.
His chance to become Iran’s next leader will grow after he wins the confidence of the Iranian people in this 12th round of elections.
Raisi became especially known when he was appointed leader of the Imam Reza Shrine which is
known as an important tourism locale for the country. It has nearly 40 companies. The shrine makes up nearly half of the city of Mashhad. It runs a number of projects dealing with education, society, culture, media, economy and health.
Raisi was given a position in the court when he was young by Khomeini. Raisi is known as a member of Marg Body (Death Body).
Last year, Khomeini’s deputy, Ayatollah Montazeri, released a voice recording in which he accuses Raisi and three other people of killing thousands of political prisoners in Iran, calling them criminals.
Raisi visited eastern Kurdistan recently. He has also met with religious figures from the Sunni sect in Tehran. But his agenda doesn’t encompass the demands of the Kurds.
‘Labor and Honor’ is Raisi’s election slogan. In his visit to Sirjan, he talked about economic problems, unemployment, poverty, marginalization and corruption, stressing these need to be resolved.
“There are no differences between the Sunnis and the Shiites. These people have their own way of writing, which is a right given to them by God. They should have their own way of writing, according to basic laws,” Raisi had said in his meeting with Sunni figures in Sirjan.
Some influential conservatives have already endorsed Raisi.
Seyed Mostafa Mir-Salim is a candidate of the Islamic Coalition Party which had candidates in past elections. But they have never won.
Mir-Salim was in charge of the office of president and high consultations during the presidency of Khamenei. He was culture minister during Rafsanjani presidency. His slogans focus on economy. He doesn’t focus on the rights of the Kurds or other nations in Iran.
Conservatives accuse Rouhani of failing in his economic policies and that he hasn’t done much for the Kurds, hoping that people will vote for them.
Dr Mohammed Qadami is a conservative who registered his candidacy but was later rejected. He said: “The Rouhani group has nothing new to say. Hence, conservatives can win over fans of reformists if they speak the language of the people.”
“Eastern Kurdistan is the place of reformists in which it is impossible that people will vote for conservatives,” political analysts say.
Luqman Studa, member of central council of Daawa and reform group says in order for conservatives to win in eastern Kurdistan, they should raise a slogan that assures people that they will not be denied.
“The question of the identity of the sidelined is discussed by all parties. This is a good thing. This was the reformists’ rhetoric in 1997. It has never been the conservatives’,” he said. “That is why it is a good thing.
“People are aware. I don’t think economic slogans will change their opinion.”
Conservatives focus on economy in this round of presidential elections. They support low income and poor people. They promise creating millions of job opportunities. They also say that subsidies, which are currently $15 for any person, will increase. But economic analysts think this will create problems and the government cannot afford it.
The Reformists: Rouhani and Hashemi Taba
The reformists now have two candidates: Hassan Rouhani and Sayed Mostafa Hashemi Taba with Eshaq Jahangiri having dropped out.
Rouhani won 50 percent of the votes carrying the Prudence and Hope slogan. Most people from eastern Kurdistan voted for him. He won 71 percent of the votes in the province of Sirjan. He wouldn’t be president if Kurds didn’t vote for him. He is the only president who promised “nations of Iran” in a 10-article statement. This helped him win votes of these groups.
But he didn’t commit to all of his promises. He promised highest positions, positions of ministers, would be given to minorities. Only a Kurd from Kurdish Sunni sect was appointed deputy minister of oil. Also, for the first time a Sunni Kurd was appointed ambassador.
People from other nations should have been given positions of authority in their own regions, according to Rouhani’s promises. Three years ago while introducing Sirjan’s new governor, Iran’s interior minister said that he tried hard to appoint someone from the province. But there was no one worthy of this position.
Rouhani’s fourth promise was to study in the mother tongue. But this was not implemented in schools. Only a Kurdish language and literature department was opened in Sirjan University taking students for the past two years.
It was also promised that right of religious minorities be protected. But Yarsan people in eastern Kurdistan are dissatisfied saying they are being discriminated against and their rights violated. Sunnis have no mosque in Tehran yet.
It was also promised that economic infrastructure of Kurdish regions be developed and a special budget be dedicated to compensate for overlooked areas in the region. But unemployment is still the main problem in eastern Kurdistan.
It was promised that somebody would be assigned to fulfill Rouhani’s promises. But no one was assigned. An assistant was appointed to deal with the question of nations and religious minorities who was previously minister of Ettela’at (intelligence agency). This caused protests by activists. He didn’t do anything other than meeting with activists from other nations.
Rouhani had said in his election campaign that he remembers all his promises. Some Kurdish activists say there is no better alternative to Rouhani and therefore will support him. Some others say they support him on condition he fulfills the promises he gave to the Kurds. Some say they should pin their hopes on him.
Hashmi Taba is a reformist, but weak candidate. He hasn’t shown the kind of character in his election campaign to help him win support. He focuses on environmental issues in his campaigns.
Kurds’ dissatisfaction goes back to the Revolution
Eleven rounds of elections were held in Iran following Khomeini’s Iranian peoples’ revolution in 1979. In these elections, 3743 had registered their candidacy. But only 145 candidates were approved by the country’s Guardian Council. It was only in the first round of elections where many candidates were allowed to take part in the race.
The first election was held on January 1, 1980, in which 124 people registered their candidacy, but only 96 were approved. In this election, the Kurds supported Massoud Rajavi, leader of the People's Mujahedin of Iran. Under pressure from the founder of the Islamic Republic, Khomeini, Rajavi was not allowed to participate in the election. Hence, Kurdistan boycotted the election, where the voter turnout was the least, merely 8.12 percent.
The second round of elections was held two years later, during which the Guardian Council was formed. The creation of this body subjected presidential candidates to more screening. In this election, only four candidates were approved out of the 71 people who had registered their candidacy.
Kurds still waiting for a candidate who can deliver
Looking back on past elections, one can see the Kurds being cautious as to who they choose to support. For example, in the sixth round of elections held in 1993, the Kurds of eastern Kurdistan voted ‘No’ to the reelection of Rafsanjani who had not paid any attention to Kurdistan’s economy. During his reign as president, leaders of the Democratic Party, Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou and Sadegh Sharafkandi, were assassinated. That is why the Kurds voted for Ahmed Tawakuli, who was a rival to Rafsanjani.
This kind of meaningful vote in eastern Kurdistan was repeated in other rounds of presidential elections. In the elections held in 1997 and 2001, Mohammad Khatami carried the ‘civil society and tolerance’ slogan, which is why the Kurds voted for him.
In the ninth round of elections held in 2005, in which Rafsanjani and Ahmadinejad were candidates, the Kurds voted for the reformist Mehdi Karroubi. No one got the majority in this election. Hence, Rafsanjani and Ahmadinejad had to go to the second round. There was again the least voter turnout in this election in eastern Kurdistan. There were 1.32 million people entitled to vote in Sirjan. In the second round, only 257,643 people voted.
In the 2009 elections, where the conservative Ahmadinejad was reelected, the Kurds voted for the reformist Mir-Hossein Mousavi.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment