Debates About Principlism and Reformism Should be Set Aside

Kaveh Ghoreishi
Kaveh Ghoreishi

» The Head of Kurdish Representatives Tells Rooz:

Seyed Mohammad Bayatian is the chairman of the group of Majlis representatives from the province of Kurdistan. He spoke with Rooz about his presidential aspirations and other issues. He believes he enjoys wider public support than presidential candidates with stronger qualifications. Bayatian is the fifth parliamentarian with presidential aspirations. He believes that: there are no social restrictions for the youth in Iran; he represents the Kurdish representatives in the Majlis; there is no race or language issue within the rights of Iranian minorities; current shortcomings in the country are because of mis-management and a preference of expedience over truth, and; the subsidies program has issues.

Here are the excerpts of his conversation with Rooz.

Rooz: What goals do you intend to announce as part of your presidential campaign?

Bayatian: I am the youngest presidential candidate and have announced my readiness to run as a young Iranian.

Rooz: How old are you?

Bayatian: 38 years.

Rooz: What plans and goals do you have for the youth?

Bayatian: My campaign slogan is “Managerial revolution through the participation of the third elite generation.” The third generation since the 1979 revolution has now reached the age of being at the management levels of government and society, and I believe that this group must be included and used in the various management and professional discussions in all fields such as the economy, culture and politics. In view of the fact that other presidential candidates have not announced any plans for the third generation, I feel that this section of society has been overlooked. But what is beyond my slogan and goal is the discussion about progress in the country. Progress through change are two different issues.

Rooz: What do you mean by progress?

Bayatian: Progress means a qualitative improvement in economics, politics, social and cultural domains. We face issues and shortcomings in our society that many experts, or politicians, believe are caused by the sanctions. Whereas I believe most of our problems stem from mis-management.

Rooz: How so?

Bayatian: As an example, we notice that there was a drop in production because of economic problems. But these industries were not dependent on foreign raw material. So the problems cannot be because of sanctions. They are because of mis-management and the lack of managing the psychological aspect of the economy. In addition, when the first phase of the targeted subsidies program was implemented, we allocated 100 percent of the revenues that were generated from the targeted subsidies to the public out of fear from the political environment (and by that I mean the government and the executive branch). This was done at the expense of domestic and industrial production, and labor, and merely to keep the public happy. I believe this was done for expediency reasons rather than what was right. We need to implement what is right. Today it is the youth that is bold and is willing to take risks to create progress. The appearance of the third generation may be different from that of the first and second generation, and I mean how they look. But their beliefs are the same revolutionary ones that were prevalent in the 2nd generation.

Rooz: What understanding do you have of the demands of the third generation?

Bayatian: Perhaps the basic issue that exists regarding the youth is employment, which is again an economic issue. Today we have a young population that is education and has the ability to make an impact in many fields but they do not have job opportunities. We have not succeeded in implementing a practical approach on employment. The approach has been to present reality through paper and announce through reports that jobs have been created. But on the ground, things have been different. Because of ignoring many realities, jobs have been killed. The ratio of our urban and rural population has reversed since the early years of the revolution. Today 70 percent of the population lives in urban areas.

Rooz: How do you view other problems that youth face, such as education and social freedoms?

Bayatian: Today we have more students than we did at the time of the revolution. We have no problems regarding education. Our universities may have differences in their scientific levels, but for individuals intending to pursue higher education, opportunities exist in various fields of study for them and good progress has been made in this regard.

Rooz: But statistics indicate that we have had a large number of students who have left the country. Does this not mean that there is no attraction to study inside the country?

Bayatian: This would have been true about two or three years ago. Today we have different centers of higher education across the country. Some students may leave the country because their fields of specialization do not exist inside the country but they return. Generally, we have created the opportunities for developing our elite inside the country and have made good progress in this regard compared to other Middle Eastern countries. Regarding social freedoms too we have no problems regarding your youth because the realities inside the country are different from what is being propagated outside.

Rooz: So you believe that social freedoms of the youth are satisfactory?

Bayatian: We do not see a problem regarding individual freedoms. Perhaps we have issues in the infrastructure and hardware. Our society has not been restricted. I come from the university environment and have had talks and debates with students and academicians and absolutely feel that there are no issues related to social freedoms.

Rooz: Some people believe that police interventions regarding what the youth wears are restrictions in their social freedoms?

Bayatian: Look, every country has its own rules and laws. We have our own definitions for freedom and restrictions. Even in many countries where democracy was born it is not such that people can do whatever they want. Laws always have red lines. Still, we should not blame the regime for some personal decisions. Personal decisions are parts of society which can be dealt with through the legal channels. In the words of Dr Shariati, do not attribute my mistake to my religion.

Rooz: You represent Bijar and Hassanabad, which are not very populated areas. How do you plan to get the support of the public for a national election?

Bayatian: I believe that if I am allowed to get into the race I will succeed because my thoughts are with the youth, the third generation and university folks across the country, and also because I come from a small deprived town. I have an ongoing conversation with the deprived groups in the country. My faith comes from the support of the youth and the university goers.

Rooz: You are also the chairman of the Majlis representatives from Kurdistan province and have said that plan to enter the presidential race because of their encouragement. What plans do you have to address what some of the members of the group have raised about the suspended provisions of the constitution regarding minorities?

Bayatian: As an Iranian Kurd I believe that we do not have a debate about race, language or similar issues in Iran. Still, the constitution has provided for a series of rights for Iranian ethnic groups. I believe that the provisions that have been dormant in the constitution must be implemented. Perhaps their most important one is article 15 which is about the mother tongue. I think this provision must be implemented not just for the Kurds, but also for the Turks, the Baluchees and other ethnic groups. I hope that all Iranian ethnic groups will be able to have equal rights as defined in the law in all fields of management, politics, culture, and social realm as an Iranian Muslim. I feel that the full potential of the great Iranian nation has to be used.

Rooz: What have you done in this regard in the Majlis?

Bayatian: Regarding the Kurdish mother tongue in the universities and other educational cultural institutions, all representatives from the Kurdish areas have communicated this to the minister of education, minister of science and the minister of Islamic guidance. This rich language must be used in the universities to help preserve the culture of the Kurdish people and other groups. We shall continue to pursue this.

Rooz: What political faction do you see yourself closest to?

Bayatian: I have been the secretary of the Daftare Tahkim Vahdat student group for three terms. I am also now a member of the Majlis Principlist faction. But organizationally, I do not see myself dependant on any of the factions or groups. I believe that a principlist must be a reformist principlist and if a person is a reformist he must be a principlist reformist. We do not wish to play with words; what is important is action and the use of all the potential of all people with all views and politics. Generally, I do not accept the conventional divisions. We should accept the management and scientific potential of everybody within the framework of the constitution. These debates about principlism, reformism, traditionalism, or modernism should be set aside and the potential of all groups should be utilized.

Rooz: Some of the others who have announced their presidential candidacy have won the support of political factions such as the principlists. Don’t you think that your victory against them is a bit far-fetched?

Bayatian: In relation to others, we probably do not have the organization that they have and we may not have the financial power that they have. But we do not see financial power to be that effective. If campaign opportunities and resources are equally available to all candidates, and I can announce my goals and ideas, I feel that the youth and university students will understand the message that we are one of them in this race. Regardless of being on the left, a reformist or a principlist, what is important is that a person truly represents the youth and understands their issues. If someone like me enters the race, even if other candidates are better known and even better qualified than me, I think we have greater potential.

Rooz: What are the financial sources for your campaign?

Bayatian: I shall certainly rely on people’s assistance in this regard. I have no affiliations with any group and my only financial source are people.

Rooz: Do you believe that you will be approved to run?

Bayatian: We have to talk to officials, people with whom we can consult. If we can convince the Guardians Council, then I think we will not have any problems and will enter the race.