Iran’s regime faces unsolvable crises as it nears parliamentary elections
Iran, January 20, 2020—Traditionally, elections have been times of turmoil for the Iranian regime, whose very foundations are in contradiction with elections, voting and anything that has to do with democracy. But this time around, as the parliamentary elections, due in late February, close in, the Iranian regime is faced with a multitude of crises and intensifying problems it can’t solve.
These crises manifest themselves in increasing infighting among different factions of the regime, which disagree on how to prevent the inevitable downfall of their rule and continue to quarrel over stealing the country’s wealth and resources.
In order to save face, regime officials their involvement in important issues such as the recent increase in the price of gasoline and the brutal crackdown on the protests that ensued. They also try to extricate themselves from their regime’s crimes by laying the blame on their rivals and exposing unprecedented aspects of regime-endorsed corruption.
This is a trend that can be observed in remarks made by officials and state-run media in recent weeks and months. After the Guardian Council, the body that oversees elections, disqualified 90 MP candidates, Setareh Sobh, a news website with ties to regime president Hassan Rouhani implicitly threatened to not take part in the elections unless the Council revises its decision.
The Guardian Council has been warning officials to “speak wisely” and insists on not being affected by pressure. Ali Khamenei, the regime’s supreme leader, has called for broad participation in the elections and cautioned officials of measures that will cause disinterest in the parliamentary elections.
https://english.mojahedin.org/i/iran-parliamentary-elections-crises-20200120