Juan Cole" Iran Election Results Show That When US Rewards Pragmatists, They Win

[eridani]

http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/277-75/35458-iran-election-results-show-that-when-us-rewards-pragmatists-they-win

President Hassan Rouhani is a former arch-conservative who moved to the center, becoming a pragmatic centrist. And that is the spectrum in the parliament, from pragmatic centrist on the left to the Khomeinist far right believers in theocracy.

In the election for the Assembly of Experts, a body sort of like the Roman Catholic college of cardinals, Rouhani and his pragmatist ally Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani were leading Saturday night. To have pragmatists play a central role on that institution is incredibly important, both for how Iran is governed in the meantime and for the selection of the next Leader (incumbent Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is in his 70s). This Assembly of Experts will sit for 8 years and could well choose the next clerical Leader of the country.

As for parliament, pragmatic centrists will likely make up 30% of seats,and independents will be another 20 percent. The far right will have the other half of seats but won’t be able to legislate unilaterally.

The significant improvement of the situation for pragmatists (many independents will vote with them) reflects President Obama’s successful diplomacy and the consequent popularity of President Rouhani, who got international sanctions lifted by accepting limitations on Iran’s nuclear enrichment activities.

In contrast, when Mohammad Khatami was elected president in 1997-2005, the Clinton and Bush white houses more or less stiffed him.. Since he had nothing to show for his pragmatic outreach, in 2005 the voters chose as his successor the quirky and far

[Octafish]

1. Excellent article.

Thank you, eridani! Juan Cole explains how Obama and Kerry understand the Big Picture.