In a speech broadcast yesterday on the state-run radio and television, mullahs’ Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that participation in Friday’s Majlis elections "is a religious duty... Everyone must take part in it."

Barely concealing his fears of a very low turnout, Khamenei said: "In the eyes of people, analysts and policymakers all over the world, a regime that can attract more people to the ballot boxes is a stable regime. This is a sign of a regime’s stability and durability."

In a transparent attempt to facilitate rigging and inflate the final vote counts, the Guardians Council, the state body supervising the elections, announced on Tuesday that the use of computers for counting votes was not allowed and that votes must be counted mechanically.

According to reports from inside the Interior Ministry, polls taken by different government agencies or political factions within the regime show that voters will largely stay away from the polls on Friday and that only a small fraction of those eligible to vote will actually cast their votes.
 

Bribes to Buy Votes, State-Controlled Daily Abrar, February 15

A number of those campaigning for the candidates in offices, organizations, schools and districts have said they are willing to pay 100 to 200,000 rials for each birth certificate. A number of others openly give those who hand over their birth certificates, warm-up suits or other equipment.
 

Fearing the State's Destruction, State-Controlled Daily Arya, February 15

Mohammad Reza Khatami, [the brother of mullahs' president and] the head of the political bureau of the Participation Front said: "If the reformers do not come up with a majority in the sixth Majlis, not only reforms but the state as a whole will be destroyed. "
 

Students Denounce Rafsanjani, Reuters, February 16

Across town at Tehran University, epicenter of angry pro-democracy demonstrations last July, students bitterly denounced former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, running for a seat from Tehran with the backing of both conservatives and centrists.

"You can't have political reform with Hashemi," chanted the crowd. "The students are awake and they hate Rafsanjani."

The two-term ex-president is poised to make a strong bid for parliamentary speaker.

Others hold him morally responsible for the mysterious murders of secular dissidents.

Many young people are impatient with the slow pace of change.
 

Top Cleric: No Chance of Diplomatic Relations with US after "Elections", Agence France Presse, February 16

TEHRAN - There is no chance of a resumption of diplomatic relations between Iran and the United States during the life of the next Iranian parliament, a senior conservative spokesman said Wednesday.

Hassan Ghafouri-Far, spokesman for the Followers of the Line of the Imam and the Leader, said in a press conference "To renew (relations) with them is impracticable, impossible."

In Tehran, the Followers are supporting former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

"Perhaps they hope that somebody from among their agents will get into the Majlis and that they could start collaborating with these people there," he said.

"It is certain that the renewal of relations with them cannot be achieved", even with a new parliament, he forecast.
 

Jomhouri Islami - In an election gathering in Bandar Abbas [south Iran], Alireza Dehqani was stabbed to death by a young man. The assailant had tried to disrupt a meeting held by supporters of the Islamic Participation Front.

Sobh-E Emrouz - Three unknown assailants launched an acid attack on the car of Haj Mahtaj Sadeqi Shabestari, a candidate from Tabriz [northwest Iran]. He was unharmed.

Akhbar-e Eqtesad - The city of Talesh, northern Iran, was the scene of clashes between supporters of two candidate… In the clashes, the election headquarters of one candidate and the campaign HQ of the Office to Strengthen Unity sustained damage. A number of people from both sides were injured.

Back to Brief on Iran