Iran: Terrorism, Oppression and Strife

gwb-trading said:
A "reformer" is elected the President of Iran.

Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian elected Iran's president
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx824yl3ln4o

Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian has been elected as Iran's new president, beating his hardline conservative rival Saeed Jalili.

The vote was declared in Dr Pezeshkian's favour after he secured 53.3% of the more than 30 million votes counted. Mr Jalili polled at 44.3%.

The run-off came after no candidate secured a majority in the first round of the election on 28 June, which saw a historically low voter turnout of 40%.

The election was called after Iran’s previous president Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash in May, in which seven others also died.

The leaders of China, India and Russia have all congratulated Dr Pezeshkian on his victory.

Even before the final results were declared by Iran's interior ministry, Dr Pezeshkian's supporters had taken to the streets in Tehran and a number of other cities to celebrate.

Videos posted on social media showed mostly young people dancing and waving the signature green flag of his campaign, while passing cars sounded their horns.

Dr Pezeshkian, a 71-year-old heart surgeon and member of the Iranian parliament, is critical of Iran’s notorious morality police and caused a stir after promising “unity and cohesion”, as well as an end to Iran's “isolation” from the world.

He has also called for “constructive negotiations” with Western powers over a renewal of the faltering 2015 nuclear deal in which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in return for an easing of Western sanctions.

His rival, Saeed Jalili, favours the status quo. The former nuclear negotiator enjoys strong support amongst Iran’s most religious communities.

Mr Jalili is known for his hardline anti-Western stance and opposition to restoring the nuclear deal, which he says crossed Iran’s “red lines".

Turnout in the latest round of voting was 50% - higher than the first round last week, when the turnout was the lowest since the Islamic revolution in 1979 amid widespread discontent, but still considerably low.

Widespread discontent meant that millions of people boycotted the elections.

Lack of choice in the candidates, dominated by Islamic hard liners, and the impossibility of real change as long as the supreme leader tightly controls policies added to their frustration.

Some people who did not vote in the first round were persuaded to cast their ballot for Dr Pezeshkian this time round to prevent Mr Jalili from becoming the president.

They feared that if he won, Iran would be heading for more confrontation with the outside world and that he would bring Iran more sanctions and further isolation.

In order to stand, both candidates had to make it through a vetting process run by the Guardian Council, a body made up of 12 clerics and jurists that hold significant power in Iran.

That process saw 74 other candidates removed from the race, including several women.

The Guardian Council has previously been criticised by human rights groups for disqualifying candidates who are not loyal enough to the regime.

After years of civil unrest - culminating in anti-regime protests that shook the country in 2022-23 - many young and middle-class Iranians deeply mistrust the establishment and have previously refused to vote.

On Iranian social media, the Persian hashtag "traitorous minority" went viral, urging people not to vote for either of the candidates and calling anyone who did a "traitor".

But Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected suggestions that the low turnout represents a rejection of his rule.

"There are reasons [behind the low turnout] and politicians and sociologists will examine them, but if anyone thinks that those who did not vote are against the establishment, they are plainly wrong," he said.

In a rare move, he acknowledged that some Iranians do not accept the current regime. "We listen to them and we know what they are saying and it is not like they are hidden and not seen," Mr Khamenei said.
More...


The chaos in Iranian leadership continues...

Iranian vice president resigns after only 11 days in office
https://nordot.app/1195648763881734873
 
92% of Iranians dissatisfied with current situation, national survey shows
https://www.intellinews.com/92-of-i...rrent-situation-national-survey-shows-342450/

A newly released survey from Iran reveals that 92% of respondents are unhappy with the current state of the country, highlighting growing public dissatisfaction.

The data, collected in November 2023 as part of the fourth wave of the "National Survey of Iranian Values and Attitudes," reflects key concerns about the country's economic, social, and political climate, Hammihan newspaper reported on September 8. It also provides insight into the workings of the new government, which would have likely been given the data before being released to the general public.

The survey, conducted by Iran’s Institute for Culture, Art and Communication, involved 15,878 participants across 15 provinces with people aged over 51 years old. While the full results have not yet been made public, some sections have been shared with researchers and gradually released.

Among the findings, inflation and unemployment were identified as the top issues. Over 81% of respondents cited rising prices as the country’s most significant problem, while nearly 48% (47.9%) highlighted unemployment. Other concerns included addiction (26.9%), economic corruption, and housing shortages.

In the survey’s section on Iran’s current condition, 61.6% of participants expressed hope that reforms could improve the situation. However, 30.2% believed the country's problems were beyond repair, while only 8.2% said the status quo was satisfactory.

Notably, women were slightly more optimistic about reform, with 65% of female respondents supporting the idea of change compared to 58.3% of men.

The provinces of West Azerbaijan—where new President Pezeshkian is from—and Kurdistan showed the highest levels of pessimism, with 40.1% and 37.9% of respondents, respectively, stating the country’s situation was irreparable.

The survey also highlighted concerns over environmental issues, security, and job stability. Approximately 69% of respondents identified water scarcity as the country’s most pressing environmental threat, while more than half said they felt their property was not safe.

The data comes amid broader concerns about Iran’s economic and political future, with analysts noting that the results reflect deepening discontent across the nation. Social scientists warn that this growing dissatisfaction could lead to further unrest if reforms are not implemented.

Matin Ramazankhah, a sociologist, said that the survey demonstrates a significant degree of hope for change despite widespread concerns. "The fact that 61.6% of people still believe reforms are possible shows there is a strong social will for improvement," he said.

Simin Kazemi, another sociologist, highlighted the concerning aspect of the results, noting that 30% of the dissatisfied population have no hope for improvement. She pointed out that this hopelessness was also evident when 60% abstained from voting in the first round of the 2024 presidential elections.

With economic challenges, such as inflation and unemployment, at the forefront of public concern, the survey suggests that addressing these issues could be key to stabilising the situation.

The survey was conducted during the previous Raisi administration which was abruptly ended in May when he died in a helicopter crash, the current Iranian government has yet to respond to the survey’s findings, but experts believe the results could serve as a wake-up call for officials to take meaningful action before dissatisfaction grows further.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top