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Hard-line Iranian candidate withdraws
One of four hard-line candidates withdrew Wednesday from Iran's upcoming presidential election, heeding a call by religious leaders that too many conservatives in the race might hurt their chances, state television reported. Mohsen Rezaei, the former head of the elite Revolutionary Guards, became the first hard-liner to drop out of the race ahead of Friday's election. "Based on the opinions of senior religious leaders, I'm withdrawing from the race to avoid diversity of votes," the television quoted Rezaei as saying in a statement.
Those remaining are former radio and television chief Ali Larijani, former national police chief Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, and Tehran Mayor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Hard-line strategists appear to favor Ali Larijani. Rezaei did not say if he was throwing his support behind another hard-liner.
"All those who prevented this historic opportunity, and failed to nominate one (hard-line candidate), will have to respond in this world and the hereafter," Erfani said, according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency. Opinion polls show Hashemi Rafsanjani, who was president from 1989-97, with a narrow lead heading into the vote, although candidates and analysts are increasingly speculating the contest will go to a run-off one week later. With the reformist movement severely weakened, Rafsanjani is seen as the most credible force to stop hard-liners from seizing the presidency. Rafsanjani is presenting himself to the world as the only candidate who will not develop a nuclear bomb and to Iranians as the man who will end more than a quarter-century of estrangement between Tehran and Washington. Top reformist candidate Mostafa Moin and hard-liner Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf are second and third in opinion polls. If no candidate gets 50 percent of the vote, there will be a run-off one week later between the two leading vote-getters. It will be a first for Iran where a candidate has never failed to reach 50 percent on the first ballot. The hard-line ruling clerics loyal to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are hoping the vote will consolidate their power. The Guardian Council, a watchdog for Iran's theocratic constitution, initially barred reformers from running. But Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters, forced the council to reverse that decision. Polls predict a turnout of 50 percent to 55 percent of Iran's 48 million eligible voters, a low figure that analysts say is likely to benefit the hard-liners. Friday's election will choose a successor to President Mohammad Khatami, who came to power in 1997 and is barred by law from seeking a third term.
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