[AdmSmith]

"DIVINE INTERVENTION" AT THE IRANIAN BALLOT BOX?

Expediency Council member Habibullah Asgaroladi-Mosalman said on 11 March of the previous month's parliamentary elections, "God guided the hearts of the pious throughout this land in such a way that of the 225 elected representatives, 160 were fundamentalists," "Aftab-i Yazd" reported. Asgaroladi, who is the secretary-general of the conservative Islamic Coalition Party, added, "We witnessed divine intervention in the seventh parliamentary elections, and you must thank God for this blessing with your work." BS

source:RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 8, No. 56, Part III, 24 March 2004

comment: Divine intervention with a little help from your friends...

[AdmSmith]

IRANIAN PARLIAMENTARIAN FORBIDDEN TO LEAVE COUNTRY AFTER RESIGNATION.

Fatimeh Haqiqatju, whose resignation from the legislature was accepted in late February, said in a 23 March interview with ISNA that she has been banned from leaving the country and thus cannot accept an invitation to visit Great Britain. Haqiqatju said she has no intention of leaving Iran to live elsewhere, and added, "Those who do not have a place among the people are the ones who should flee this country, not the reformists who can rely upon the support of the majority of the people." BS

source:RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 8, No. 56, Part III, 24 March 2004

[nuconvert]

Divine