Iranian Alert -- February 20, 2004 -- IRAN LIVE THREAD --Americans for Regime Change in Iran

The Iranian Student Movement Up To The Minute Reports ^ | 2.20.2004 | DoctorZin

[Khashayar]

We are expecting a LOW turn out here in Tehran and we have to wait till they declare the results.

[DoctorZIn]

Any news on the Persian sites that hasn't appeared in western news media reports?

[Khashayar]

I am sorry to tell you, that is really hard to get news from Persian websites. Most of them are filtered and US Annonymizer does not work well today.
But Main News is that they imported 4 to 6 milion fake ID cards from Pakistan.

[DoctorZIn]

...But Main News is that they imported 4 to 6 million fake ID cards from Pakistan...

How does that help the regime?

[Khashayar]

How does that help the regime?

They sign or seal ID cards and each ID card can vote once. As not many people tend to vote, so they had to import as many as they could to get higher turnout.

[Khashayar]

The simple meaning of a low turnout is that IRANIANs do not want this regime and they want you to know that as well.

[DoctorZIn]

Islamists Hope to Shock Bush with Big Poll Turnout

February 20, 2004
Reuters
Christian Oliver

TEHRAN -- Grandmother Khadijeh Fatahi hopes President Bush will die of shock after seeing so many Iranians turn out for Friday's parliamentary election, a poll expected to return conservatives to power.

The 67-year-old led a chorus of some 70 women, clad in the all-enveloping black chador, who punched the air and chanted "Death to America" after attending Friday prayers in central Tehran before voting.

"I am voting to say death to America and death to Bush. This will show Bush any idea Iranians will not vote is nonsense," she said. "I hope he drops down dead when he hears this."

A steady flow of voters filed past ballot boxes in the south and east of Tehran, a city of some 14 million, but eyewitnesses said numbers appeared thinner than in 2000 when reformists wrested parliament from hard-liners in a 67 percent turnout.

Liberal parties have boycotted the election after the massive vetting of candidates by a hardline watchdog.

Bargain-hunters streamed through the teeming bazaar at Tajrish in the city's affluent north, preferring to haggle over crockery and water-pipes than vote at nearby mosques.

Many said they were turning their back on reformists.

"We may have more freedoms, but people eat bread not liberty," said Ali, 30, who sells CDs and tapes of Iranian and Western music. "Reformists have left the economy in tatters."

Crippled war veteran Ali Asghar, a piece of shrapnel lodged in his leg, wanted nothing to do with any politicians.

"Of course I am not going to vote and I do not think anyone else is. All of them (politicians) have only worked for themselves," he said, buying a packet of cigarettes.

Analysts are looking to election turnout statistics to determine the degree of support a new conservative parliament would be able to claim.

ISLAM TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT

A trickle of voters, mainly women in chador and elderly men, headed to the blue-tiled mosques near the bazaar which doubled as polling stations, passing fat cockerels on the muddy paths.

"In other countries, like Iraq, Islam is being trampled underfoot, but Iran will not be trodden into the dust by the trio of America, Britain and Israel," said 72-year old ex-soldier Qavam.

He was not sure whether he had just voted for a conservative or a reformist, but had met the candidate recently and knew he would do a good job.

Young voters were conspicuously absent. Seventy percent of Iranians are under 30.

Many left decisions to the last minute. Three young women flicked through party pamphlets choosing their candidates while munching through a box of dates.

One white turbaned cleric spent an hour perusing the lists and discussing the comparative merits of candidates with other voters.

Although widely expected not to vote, several of the fast set of party-going young Tehranis were turning out to get a stamp on their identity cards, fearing there could be trouble without it.

"I had better vote just to get the stamp," said Maryam, her hair spilling out from under a leopard-spot headscarf.

In act of defiance, she spoiled her ballot paper.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=4403898

[rickylc]

What is next? Can elections be forced to be held again? Are they invalidated if too few votes are cast?
What will the people of Iran do to bring a real democracy and how can we help?

[Khashayar]

The regime offered poor people with Money, Gifts and food to attract them to vote, That is what I read in an Iranian News Webpage a few mins ago.

[DoctorZIn]

There were approx 46,000,000 potential voters in Iran today.

I would expect official reports of those who voted to day to be approx. 46,000,000.

Sadly the world media will likely believe the regime reports.

[Khashayar]

Thanks for this question.

No, Elections here can not be forced to be held again because the regime hates to do this again. This was just a show.

The people of Iran need to be united, have to find a leadership in fighting these damned Mullahs and you in America can help us in 2 ways:

1- Vote For Bush in 2004

2- Asking your senators, congressmen and government to support us in fight against the regime.

*We do not want you to send troops to Iran, we can end this regime ourselves, but we want you to back us mentally and force other nations to leave their trade deals with the IRI.

[nuconvert]

I did read something like that. There's a minimum needed to validate the election.

[AdmSmith]

If you can extend it once, try try again...

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/72042/1/.html

Voting extended for second time in Iran polls due to "high turnout":

TEHRAN : Polling stations across Iran have been ordered by the interior ministry to remain open for a second additional hour until 8:00 pm (1630 GMT), conservative-run state radio announced, saying the decision was taken because of a "high turnout".

Voting in the controversial parliamentary elections had been scheduled to end at 6:00 pm, but extensions are common in Iranian polls.

It was the second one-hour extension announced by the interior ministry, which can choose to prolong polling up until midnight.

Iran's clerical leaders have been calling for a high turnout in the polls, which are all but certain to see religious conservatives win control of the Majlis and deal a crushing blow to reformists and President Mohammad Khatami.

But turnout was the only real element of suspense, after reformers disqualified from standing urged the electorate to stay at home in protest.

[nuconvert]

That's not a new extension. That was reported here hours ago.

[Khashayar]

Polls were closed at 19:00 Local time. <<< Confirmed by Local TV and some other Persian websites.

[DoctorZIn]

David Frum's Diary

FEB. 20, 2004: IRAN VOTES
Iran Votes

Today is election day in Iran – and a very strange sort of election it will be. In an important essay in the New York Post, Amir Taheri calls this an election that kills illusions – above all the illusion that Iran can be reformed from within. His ominous but powerful conclusion:

“[T]he Bush administration needs to develop a coherent analysis of the Iranian situation. It must decide whether or not Iran is, in the words of the State Department's No. 2, Richard Armitage, a ‘sort of democracy,’ or a despotic regime using religion and violence to remain in power.

“Short-term Realpolitik may counsel an accommodation with the present regime in Tehran, much as it has determined Washington's China policy. But that would mean the premature death of President Bush's ambitious plan for ‘a new Middle East.’ It would also give the Islamic Republic time to assemble an arsenal of nuclear weapons, and other weapons of mass destruction, which the Tehran leadership regards as its best insurance policy.”

Michael Ledeen observes in NRO that the Iranian regime’s methods of control are becoming more violent all the time. “Demonstrations five days ago in the western city of Marivan were so potent that the regime sent helicopter gunships to shoot down protestors, and there are reports that members of the regular armed forces joined the demonstrators.”

Violence may stifle dissent; it cannot confer legitimacy. The Financial Times reports that turnout in the elections has been desultory: “[F]ew polling stations in Teheran experienced more than a trickle of voters.”

As their domestic repression has become more heavy-handed, the Iranian mullahs have become more determined than ever to acquire nuclear weapons so as to defy all external challenge. On Thursday, USA Today reported the discovery of still more bomb-making technology – this time, uranium-enrichment centrifuges at a military base in east Teheran.

The Democrats and President Bush’s critics want endlessly to reargue the war in Iraq. But the world has not ceased to revolve while we examine our navels. The Middle East continues to fester – Iran is heading toward a crisis that its leaders believe they can survive only by intimidation and terror – and the United States cannot much longer postpone deciding what it will do about this menace.

http://nationalreview.com/frum/diary022004.asp

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I was just noting the contrast in reverse, not casting aspersions on our system. No system is perfect, as the 2000 election proved. Bush prevailed, but the entire world watched in amazement.

[nuconvert]

open 'til midnight....surprised they didn't do that.
If they're going to make fools of themselves in front of the international media, might as well just have gone all the way.

[Khashayar]

I am reading some thing on BBC persian website that would like to share it with you:

Its reporter in Tehran says that there are few votters in Tehran and he adds that 1179 candidates have already canceled their candidacies in this sham election.