Public Support for Rajavi's Call for Boycott of Elections; Hundreds of Young Iranians Arrested, Iran Zamin News Agency, May 21 

Quoting reports from Iran, the National Council of Resistance said on Wednesday that the call for boycott of the mullahs' sham elections by Mr. Massoud Rajavi, President of the NCR, has been widely welcomed in Iran.

"Mr. Rajavi's call for the boycott of the farce elections has reached the people all the across the country through the Resistance's daily radio and television broadcasts and in the form of flyers and leaflets in all major Iranian cities."

The NCR said that the security forces have noticeably increased their presence in all cities, especially Tehran, and large groups of young people have been arrested. The state-run press reported the arrest of 280 youths in Tehran, alone. The actual figures are much greater.

According to the NCR, in the past days, the regime's officials have openly and officially reaffirmed that no matter who becomes the President, it is Khamenei who determines domestic and foreign policy of the regime.

The only outcome of this elections is Rafsanjani's inevitable removal from the highest executive post in the regime, a development which will further weaken the regime, intensify the mullahs' internal feuding, and render them in need of escalating suppression in Iran and export of terrorism abroad, the NCR said.

 

Iran Closes Candidate's Campaign HQ As Vote Nears, Reuters, May 21 

Iran's presidential hopefuls launched their final campaign efforts on Wednesday as authorities shut down the headquarters of a leading candidate for alleged violations of election laws.

Gholamhossein Rahbarpour, an official in charge of overseeing the campaigning, said Mohammad Khatami's Tehran headquarters were closed after officials determined that it was located in a state-owned building, the daily Kayhan said….

Khatami…has come under mounting pressure in the campaign from Nateq-Nouri's backers for his relatively liberal views….

He [Rahbarpour] said the building was owned by Tehran's municipality…but did not say under what terms the candidate was using the offices.

Authorities also cancelled a campaign rally for Khatami and police turned back without explanation people arriving for the rally at a sports stadium west of Tehran.…

Election officials…have warned against violations and 280 people have been arrested for unspecified offences in the capital….

Children's Paper Closed as Iran Vote Nears, The Associated Press, May 21 

Authorities have closed a children's newspaper for writing a satirical piece critical of television coverage of this week's presidential election.

The state-run television network reported Tuesday that Aftabgardoon, or sunflower, was closed after it ran an article satirizing Tehran television's claim of impartiality in Friday's election.

The television reported the paper had "violated the law banning state-funded newspapers from campaigning on behalf of any of the presidential candidates."…

 

Importers Drive Iran Rial Weaker Ahead of Polls, Reuters, May 21

The Iranian rial currency has weakened on the Tehran black market ahead of presidential elections on Friday….

The rial was offered by unauthorized street dealers at 4,800 to the dollar, compared to the official rate of 3,000 rials….

Rates offered by traders on Tehran's Jomhuri Street are one of the better signals of inflationary expectations among people in this city of seven million and its appetite for imports. Inflation…together with high unemployment is the main economic complaint of most Iranians….

 

Leading Candidates Aim to Run U.S. Out of Persian Gulf, Reuters, May 21

The two leading candidates in Iran's presidential election have said they would aim to bring about the departure of U.S. military forces from the oil-rich Gulf region….

Washington has accused the Tehran government of sponsoring international terrorism….

U.S. forces tracked Iranian naval and military exercises this month and officials have previously warned its Gulf allies that Iran has built up a capacity to threaten the strategic Strait of Hormuz which carries 20 percent of the world's oil.

Iran's conservative Sunni Gulf neighbors such as oil-giants Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have eyed radical Shi'ite Iran with suspicion, with relations marred by accusations of internal meddling and territorial disputes….

 

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