Iranian reform candidate welcomes negotiations with the US

[Aloha Spirit]

Iran's presidential election is in June.
I wonder what effect Obama is having on that election?

AP article of Moussavi gives his first press conference as a candidate, and comments on Obama's desire to engage with Iran:

"We will definitely negotiate with them. Why not?" Mousavi said. "Peace with any country would benefit our interests."

Mir Hossein Mousavi:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mir-Hossein_Mousavi

[Thrill]

1. Is this guy going to make it to election day?

[Aloha Spirit]

2. No idea. He's an old timer. I just read about him. He seems slightly preferable to Ahmadinejad...

seems to have Khatami's backing, and the economy will be a problem for Ahmadinejad.

Here's another article from today
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5in35JyEFyNlbsfPR0-OyMpyzGgLQ

[Sultana]

3. doubt it

[Sebastian Doyle]

4. Not if Benji NuttyYahoo has anything to say about it.

Wouldn't be surprised if a Mossad team is being dispatched to "remedy" the situation.

That bloodthirsty son of a bitch and his new sidekick Avidor Lieberman have been waiting for the opportunity to kill Iranians, and damned if any sane moderate Iranians are going to ruin their plans.

[Posteritatis]

6. He'll be barred from running, I imagine (nt)

[Aloha Spirit]

5. Finally, a substantial article on this press conference--washington post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/06/AR2009040603484.html

Mousavi vowed that he would stop controversial morality police restrictions on clothing deemed un-Islamic and allow greater freedom of speech. Social controls are the domain of people, not the government, he said.

"Can a security patrol save our youths?" Mousavi said of sharply increased police operations meant to prevent women from allowing their hair to show in public. "Or can they be saved by the words of a grandfather who talks to his granddaughter?" he asked rhetorically. "I believe in the latter."

The patrols, part of what is known here as the "social security plan," began after Ahmadinejad became president, although his government denies responsibility.

Mousavi also vowed to implement Iran's constitution, which he said was now being "violated and undermined."

"We must create the constitutionally mentioned freedoms -- freedom of thought, freedom of expression, freedom of print, freedom of media and press -- all of course within the framework of our laws."

[Aloha Spirit]

7. Also.. Obama's major June speech in a muslim country could influence the election in Iran...

Presidential election is June 12th I believe.
Wonder if Obama wants to gamble and try to parlay his universal popularity into votes for the reform candidate by reaching out to the Muslim community, say, in the middle east in early June.