TEHRAN, Iran (Reuters) — Iranians went to the polls on Friday (February 26) to vote for the first time since last year’s nuclear deal in elections that could determine whether the Islamic Republic continues to emerge from diplomatic and economic isolation after years of sanctions.
The contest will pit supporters of pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani, who championed the nuclear deal and is likely to seek a second presidential term next year, against conservatives deeply opposed to detente with Western powers.
Both sides have called for a strong turnout. Most reformist candidates have been barred by a hardline clerical vetting body, along with many moderates, but their supporters have called on voters to back Rouhani’s allies and keep the conservatives out.
At stake is control of the 290-seat parliament and the 88-member Assembly of Experts, a body that chooses the Islamic Republic’s most powerful figure, the Supreme Leader. During its eight year term it could name the successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is 76 and has been in power since 1989.
Both bodies are currently in the hands of hardliners.
Results are hard to predict, with conservatives traditionally doing well in rural areas and young urbanites favouring more reformist candidates. In Tehran’s grand bazaar, opinion among the influential merchant class was mixed.
“The most important issue is economic prosperity. Now society really needs jobs, unemployment is so rampant, because I feel it, I see it,” said Tehran resident Naser Karimzadeh after casting his vote.
“One should not be indifferent, I vote for the future of our country and for a higher level of our welfare,” said another Tehran resident.
Mistrust of the West runs deep, and hardliners have sought to undermine Rouhani’s allies by accusing them of links to Western powers.
If the Assembly of Experts is called upon to choose a successor to Khamenei, its decision could set the Islamic Republic’s course for years or even decades to come.
A more supportive parliament would allow Rouhani to continue his economic reforms at home and diplomatic engagement abroad, and perhaps begin to chip away at social restrictions that irk a large segment of Iran’s young, educated population.
Whatever the outcome, though, Iran’s political system places significant power in the hands of the conservative establishment including the Guardian Council, the Islamic judiciary, and the Supreme Leader.
The 12-member Guardian Council must approve all new laws and vet all electoral candidates, on both technical and ideological grounds. It has already played a role in Friday’s vote by excluding thousands of candidates, including many moderates and almost all reformists.
