Associated Press, February 14 - … Many of the leading reformists themselves are former hard-liners who denied freedom to their opponents and quashed opposition when they were in power.

Abbas Abdi was a leader of the students who stormed the U.S. Embassy in 1979 and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. He later became a top official in the office of the prosecutor general. Now, he advocates freedom and ties with the United States.

Sadeq Khalkhali, now staunchly behind Khatami, was known as ''the hanging judge'' for ordering hundreds if not thousands of summary executions immediately after the revolution. One of Khatami's closest aides, Saeed Hajjarian, was the founder of Iran's notorious Intelligence Ministry.

They began to speak out for freedom of expression and greater political plurality after being removed from positions of influence and silenced for opposing the eight-year presidency of Hashemi Rafsanjani, who stepped down in 1997.
 

Enemies trying to taint Rafsanjani

Jomhouri Islami daily, Feb. 10: Why are they afraid of Hashemi Rafsanjani? Those who claim that they will win the absolute majority in the elections must not be so afraid of some one who they say is running in order to save the right wing. Now, the known and hidden enemies have joined forces to assassinate his character.

The counterrevolutionaries’ vengeance is not limited to Rafsanjani. These people want retaliate against any one who has resisted their treacherous objectives. They know that Hashemi [Rafsanjani] has sufficient capability to deal with suspicious moves and is also well aware of the dark side of their political life.
 

What is Rafsanjani responsible for?

Sobh-e Emrouz daily, Feb. 9: Former deputy prosecutor general Abbas Abdi: "Why does Mr. Hashemi says he is uninformed on matters that relate to the people’s rights. The arrest of dozens by the Intelligence Ministry or the matter of the bus [carrying writers that was supposed to have been driven off a cliff], the Sarkouhi affair and other murders and the rejecting the competence of the candidates, which are extremely important and sensitive, are among them.
 

We hate Rafsanjani

Agence France Presse, February 13 - Thousands of Pro-Khatami students Sunday chanted slogans against former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a longtime ally who has hitched his wagon to the star of their conservative opponents in parliamentary elections this week.

"We hate Hashemi," and "The students have woken up," and chanted around 6,000 students gathered in the capital's Shirudi stadium for a rally organized by the Islamic Iran Participation Front. "Political liberalization is impossible with Hashemi," they chanted.
 

Passing through turbulent times

Hamshahri daily, Feb. 9: Khatami: We are passing through turbulent times. Some may think that their qualifications are not well assessed or their rights are violated. If there are shortcomings, no-one denies it. Neither the government, nor the Guardians Council, nor the Interior Ministry. But we must not allow this issue to create chaos and discord in society and lessen the robustness of the elections.
 

Beware of enemy conspiracies

State Television, Feb. 10: In a gathering of Bassiji sisters, the commander in chief of the Revolutionary Guards referred to the conspiracies of the enemies of Islam to weaken the pillars of the sacred Islamic Revolution and underscored the need for the extensive presence of Bassijis to confront this conspiracy.
 

150,000 SSF personnel to protect elections

IRNA, Feb. 11: The head of the State Security Forces' Political and Ideological Bureau: "150,000 personnel of the SSF will be responsible to maintain security during the election period. Hojjat-ol Eslam Mohammad Ali Rahmani told IRNA on Thursday that these forces are also given the task of preparing the grounds for the holding of the elections in a safe environment.

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