Many Things Will Happen in the Coming Months

While it appears that many hardline ideologue Principlists who are critical of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s administration seem to be gradually accepting the idea of Isfandiar Rahim Mashai’s presidential bid in 2013, the secretary general of Hezbe Islamie Iran Zamin (Islamic Party of Iran), Abolghasem Raoofian, an ideologue belonging to the Principlists who are critical of Ahmadinejad, told Rooz that events that will take place in the coming months will cancel-out Mashai’s presidential candidacy.

Rahimi who is considered to be the closest advisor to Ahmadinejad and some even claim that he has a magical influence on the president, resigned from his post as chief of staff to the president and was appointed to head the Non-Aligned Movement secretariat which is currently chaired by Iran. This change in position prompted many to conclude that Rahimi was definitely going to be a presidential candidate in 2013.

On the very day that Mashai switched posts, a senior member of Hezbe Motalefe Islami (Islamic Coalition Party), Hassan Ghafoorifard, told KhabarOnline that he had “indirectly” heard from Rahimi that he would be a presidential candidate in 2013.

Ghafoorifard also said that “Mashai was interested and has begun his campaign and is even getting a Master’s Degree so that he would qualify to be a candidate, if the election law on the qualifications of presidential candidates is not amended.

Another prominent politician, Ahmad Karimi Isfahani, who is the secretary general of the Jame Anjomanhaye Eslami Asnaf va Bazar (Islamic Associations of Businesses and the Bazar) a group that is also a member of the Peyrovane Khate Imam va Rahbari Front (Followers of the Path of the Imam and the Leader) told Iran’s ILNA labor news agency that Mashai “had said somewhere that he did not intend to run in the elections until Ahmadinejad convinced him to do so and who had said that if necessary, he (Ahmadinejad) would go from town to town to get votes for him.”

The secretary general of Islamic Party of Iran and a former member of the ruling council of the Front for the Followers of the Path of the Imam and the Leader Abolghasem Raoofian told Rooz that none of these events (Mashai’s candidacy) would take place. He did not provide any further details of what exactly would prevent Mashai from the elections.

In response to a question by Rooz that many principlists believed that Rahim Mashai

was definitely going to run, Raoofian said, “See, when Mashai says that the accomplishments of this administration equal to the whole modern history of Iran and when Mr. Ahmadinejad uses language for Mashai that has not been used for anyone, it shows how each supports the other, leaving no doubt for society. It is natural for Ahmadinejad to insist on Mashai’s candidacy, but my prediction is that they will encounter obstacles on their way that will make them retreat.”

When Rooz asked for details, Raoofian said, “Mashai will not be their final candidate.” And in response to what the obstacles, he said, “We have to wait to see those, as we still have a months left.”

Rooz pointed out that Ghafoorifard had said that the Guardians Council would approve Mashai’s candidacy to which Raoofian said the council would have to make a decision on this adding that it would a tough test for the council. Raoofian said he did not think Mashai qualified to be a president.

When asked about whether Ahmadinejad had other options and individuals, Raoofian said, “Yes, and I do not believe that Mashai will be the only candidate. And when he is out of the picture, another candidate will most certainly be presented.”

“I think the candidate who runs on the theme of ethics will win the race. The wounds that were created in society because of the 2009 presidential debates and the subsequent events that resulted in the birth of the sedition, have not been healed. The memories of those days will not allow the public to be lenient over insolence. Candidates must know that they must come forth with the idea of ethics and respect for law. They should compete and not be obstinate. They should refrain from using aggressive and accusatory language. They should not trample on their competitors because people will not tolerate this,” Raoofian said.