Campaigning underway for Iran’s first national elections

Final campaigning is underway in Iran, ahead
of Friday’s elections for parliament and the
body that will choose the country’s next
supreme leader.
Allies of President Hassan Rouhani hope to
gain influence. But moves by hardliners to
block moderate candidates – and disillusion over
Rouhani’s stalled reforms – do not make it
easy for them.
Reformist candidates are upbeat.
“Looking at past experience. Fortunately, we
have been successful in different spheres,
including the economy sphere. God willing we
will continue along the same path,” said
reformist candidate Mohammad-Reza Aref.
Last year’s nuclear deal lifted crippling
sanctions and created hope of an economic
upturn and higher living standards.
Conservatives are putting the economy at the
heart of their campaigning.
“Because we believe that today the country’s
big problem is economic problems and the
future parliament should deal with that,” said
candidate Gholam Ali Hadad Alel.
The hardline Guardian Council, which vets
candidates and laws, has blocked thousands of
mostly moderate hopefuls from standing in the
parliamentary election.
It has also barred almost 80 percent of
candidates in the poll for the Assembly of
Experts, which will eventually choose the
successor of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei.