IRAN: ASSEMBLY OF EXPERTS ELECTIONS PREVIEW UPDATE

Описание: (22 Oct 1998) Eng/Farsi/Nat

Senior conservative clerics are urging Iranians to vote in Friday's elections for a key assembly.

But signs are that only a fraction of eligible voters will turn out after hard-liners disqualified all the moderate candidates.

After a lacklustre campaign, conservative clerics fear Friday's vote may be marred by an embarrassingly low turn-out.

The hard-line state-controlled Tehran radio has been broadcasting calls for people to show what it calls their "brave presence" at polling stations to elect the Assembly of Experts.

The group is responsible for appointing or removing from office the supreme religious leader, the Ayatollah, the most powerful man in the country.

The Assembly is currently dominated by hardliners.

Most reformists who have applied to run for election have been rejected.

And some opposition groups are boycotting the elections in protest.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The guardian council of constitution has selected special people. There is not enough freedom in this election so our organisation decided not to participate."
SUPER CAPTION: Dr. Abbas Moutawassili, Deputy of leader of Freedom Iran Movement

Opposition leaders say the election has been orchestrated so only right-wingers will be elected.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The right hand and the traditionalists want to have the power in monopoly. They don't want to allow the other people or the other parties to participate."
SUPER CAPTION: Dr. Abbas Moutawassili, Deputy of leader of Freedom Iran Movement

The lacklustre election campaign has failed to create much excitement due to the lack of competition.

Most of the 161 candidates - all clergymen - are hard-liners who were selected by a supervisory Council of Guardians controlled by conservatives.

In vetting 396 aspirants, the council eliminated most supporters of President Mohammad Khatami, a moderate clergyman with wide popular support.

Nevertheless, few people are prepared to admit that they don't intend to exercise their vote.

SOUNDBITE: (Farsi)
"The elections are a legal obligation, tomorrow we will participate in the elections"
SUPER CAPTION: Voxpop

SOUNDBITE: (Farsi)
"The elections is a duty, and we should participate"
SUPER CAPTION: Voxpop

The Assembly of Experts, which was last elected in 1990, said in a statement that failure to vote would only serve the interests of Iran's enemies.

Iran considers the United States and Israel its main enemies, and blames them for supporting exiled Iranian opposition groups.

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