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Subscribe to RSSPainful memories of the last election have led to voter indifference in Iran. To some Iranians, the elections will make little difference to their expectations. NBC News' Ali Arouzi reports from Tehran.
Updated at 8:21 a.m. ET: TEHRAN -- Iranians voted on Friday in a parliamentary election which is expected to reinforce the power of the clerical establishment of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over hard-line political rivals led by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The election is unlikely to have much impact on Iran's foreign policies - the country's disputed nuclear program and international relations are already strictly controlled by Khamenei.
But it could allow the clergy to strengthen its hand in determining the political backdrop ahead of a presidential election due in 2013.
'Negative propaganda'
With Iran facing growing international isolation, Western sanctions over its nuclear program and a threat of attack by Israel, Iranian leaders have been calling for a high turnout to bolster their legitimacy.
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"There is a lot of negative propaganda against our nation ... The arrogant powers are bullying us to maintain their prestige. A high turnout will be better for our nation ... and for preserving security," said Khamenei after casting his vote.
Ayatollah Khamenei's Website / EPA
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei casts his vote in Tehran, Iran, on Friday.
"Whenever there has been more enmity towards Iran, the importance of the elections has been greater."
The election will be the first since the country's disputed presidential election in 2009, when opposition and pro-democracy protests were quelled by security forces.
NBC News' Ali Arouzi reported that there has been no signs of "election fever" in Iran, with advertisements dominating billboards over campaign posters.
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This time round, leading reformist groups have said they will stay away from voting, setting the stage for a straight contest between backers of Khamenei and Ahmadinejad.
A low turnout, however, could nonetheless highlight the extent to which disappointment still exists among Iranian voters over the outcome of the 2009 presidential election.
At schools, in shops, and on the streets of big cities and small towns, daily life plays out in Iran.
While voting stations in affluent northern Tehran were quiet, people lined up in central and downtown parts of the city to cast their votes.
"I am here to support my establishment against the enemies' plot by voting," said Mahboubeh Esmaili, 28, holding her baby outside the Hoseiniyeh Ershad polling center in central Tehran, where around 50 people were queuing up to vote.
"Votes in this election are a needle in the eyes of the enemy," another voter told NBC News.
PhotoBlog: Voters cast ballots across Iran
The two main groups that are competing for the 290-seat parliament are the United Front of Principlists, which includes Khamenei loyalists, and the Resistance Front that backs Ahmadinejad.
Cash handouts
Ahmadinejad, the son of a blacksmith, still enjoys the support of many in Iran's poorer communities, largely thanks to his humble image and regular cash handouts. But his popularity has been dented by the country's economic crisis.
Western sanctions aimed at forcing Iran to halt sensitive nuclear work have started to hurt energy and food imports. The West fears Iran is working on developing a nuclear bomb, but Tehran says the program is for electricity generation and other peaceful purposes.
Tehran increased production of higher-grade enriched uranium, heightening concerns that Iran may be developing a bomb. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
The price of staple goods has spiraled because of the falling value of the Iranian currency and fresh European Union and U.S. sanctions on Iran's financial and oil sectors.
Critics have accused Ahmadinejad of making things worse for ordinary Iranians, saying his decision to replace food and fuel subsidies with direct monthly payments since 2010 has fuelled inflation, officially running at around 21 percent.
Political rift
Khamenei will be looking to use the vote to reestablish his hold on power following a political rift between the two leaders when Ahmadinejad tried to supersede Khamenei in Iran's complex political hierarchy.
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Analysts have said Ahmadinejad and his allies have been trying to undermine the central role of the clergy in politics by emphasizing nationalist themes of Iranian history and culture in their speeches.
While Ahmadinejad himself cannot stand for a third term under Iran's constitution, some Iranian media reports said he backed Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaie, his chief of staff, as a candidate to succeed him in the 2013 presidential vote.
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The Supreme Leader's campaign got a boost when powerful establishment groups - including influential clerics, the elite Revolutionary Guards and powerful bazaar merchants - formed an alliance to back his loyalists.
The Guardian Council, made up of six clerics and six jurists who vet candidates, has approved 3,467 individuals out of more than 5,382 who initially applied to run in the poll.
Some politicians said that the hard-line council barred many established Ahmadinejad supporters, forcing him to pick younger political unknowns.
Khamenei, who initially endorsed Ahmadinejad's 2009 re-election, publicly distanced himself from the president in April by reinstating the sacked intelligence minister.
'Deviant current'
In the past months, dozens of Ahmadinejad allies have been detained or dismissed from their posts for being linked to a "deviant current" that his rivals say aims to sideline clerics. Ahmadinejad's media adviser has been sentenced to one year in jail for insulting Khamenei.
They're sleek, majestic and defensive. Thousands of women in Iran are taking serious steps to be lethal yet feminine.
Reformists did not send in a list of candidates, saying the basic needs of a "free and fair" vote had not been fulfilled.
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Major pro-reform political parties have been banned and leading reformists have either been jailed or banned from political activities since the 2009 election, which the opposition says was rigged.
Opposition leaders Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi, defeated in the 2009 vote, have been under house arrest for more than a year.
NBC News' Ali Arouzi, Reuters and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
Iranians are voting? For what? Who is going to be next to tape a bomb to their bellybutton? Sure like the the publicity photos of women voting, playing guitar, and one in Ninja classes. Don't matter who wins, both are ruthless, bloodthirsty killers!
The CIA has been over there quite a while "gravestone etching"; using the methods taught to them by the late Mayor Daley!!
Iran, is it's own worst enemy. Mr Obama has to put more pressure on Iran. The people of Iran should get rid of all it's radical leaders, with this new election if they can. The will of the people dosn't have much of a chance in Iran.
This is what happens when religion, any religion, gets involved in politics. Could happen here.
What a silly ninja bringing a knife to a gun fight.
It sounds to me like these two towel heads are at center ice with their towels around their heads and are ready to see which towel is either going to tighten up or fall off. This is a pickit bet.
A needle in the eye of the enemy, eh? Maybe we're not so different after all.
In both our countries, a large chunk of the electorate can apparently be motivated to engage in politics out of sheer spite.
What difference does it make with all the corruption throughout the Middle East?
just imagine what a wonderful peaceful world it could be if we simply eliminated RELIGION from the equation....food for thought !
One good thing we americans does best is talked about others of a different culture. We critizise and point fingers as if we're know all. Ok to point a finger, but look at what pointing back, you big thumb. It takes one to know another why the world is fill with like and dislike on fellow human being and war follow. Mankind is distructive to himself and others alike, no wander the world can't find peace. But in fact, we don't really want peace, we want equal rights and peace will follow.
&uck the Iranian government,, The Iranian people just want to live like everyone else in the free world,,you think someone wants to be told how to live their lives?? I hope that when the U.S. goes in there and Kick's there military's $ss we will beable to free all Iranians and introduce them to the real west!! I don't hold any bad will towards the People..I just hate the Supreme @ss hole and the other one that Talks $hit all the time!!Whats name?? Ooo Yea..%ick head mohamud!!!
I never thought I vote again but, regarding amid threat of western military
intervention in Iran and their carrot and stick policy which are utterly humiliating
to my nation meant to curb or national dignity, I have decided to vote again. I believe
there is no one to blame but western governments and their negative viewed medias for
having hardliners ruling in Iran today. Remember that when we ceased enrichment
activities for a short time -with 84% support of nation to run it- to build confidence and transparent our aims, western governments betrayed the reformist president -Mr. Khatami- of us calling for permanent shut down of all peaceful nuclear activities in Iran!! based on false allegations! It was at that time which reformists were labeled as renegade, naive politicians by hardliners and kicked off from power circle.
I believe that western powers always like to keep Iran as a threat to its neighbors.35 years ago they used to port rate us as a Regional bully power and nowadays by
spreading false rumors about our intentions, they are advertising iranofobia which
provide them with a great opportunity for stealing middle east resources!!!
I bet as long as there is oil in this region no man can live in middle east in peace!!
Samy,
Try one person to blame: Jimmy Carter
We, in the U.S. are perfectly willing to purchase oil produced in the Middle East until we become energy independent. This will happen if our politicians ever their heads out of their ying-yangs and DO SOMETHING. Then you can all drink all your oil for all we care. We just want you to be peaceful to your neighbors and quit promoting terror. Iran is not. The government wants to wipe Israel from the face of the earth and supports terrorist groups throughout the Middle East. This is unacceptable. Overthrow your radical government, or watch as hundreds of thousands of you will die in the next major conflict over there. I am glad you got out to vote. Tell all your friends to do so also.
The comments from John Chin sound like they came off of a fortune cookie in some chop suey house in San Fransisco.
I admire the Iranian people. It is very hard to choose between two sets of complete idiots!
who cares who wins either way there guna try to get a nuke then bomb isreal then america
Shame is we cannot get these morons to face off with loaded guns! At least then maybe the Iranian people could have some peace in their lives.
Aw gee no good guys vs bad guys for the Media to pump up into a football game for ad revenue? There is everywhere ELSE over there, Libya, Egypt, Syria. How about we just proclaim they ALL suck instead of playing a political charade.
Except for Qatar. They s do EVERYTHING right and are a model for the world because they FIRMLY believe in wealth redistribution and DO it
Best thing Iranians can do is..DON'T VOTE.
So somebody in this forum mentions that Iran has freer elections than the U.S....because we vote for the electoral college!!! Are you kidding me....how about reading the U.S. constitution...we are a Representative Republic..if you think we should be a democracy...then you will have mob rule....and we would still have slaves and women would not have the right to vote. It's absurb to think that Iran has free elections....the clergy rule and that's it.
Its a sad state of affairs over there. Its too bad that whole area of the world even exists. The world would be better off without it. They do nothing for the betterment of society or the world.
Election time for Iran really spells out, out with the old in with the new. Do you think it will actually happen though? My guess is no. They have gotten set in their ways of defiance.
Mike277 says don't vote in Iran. They don't have a choice. You vote when they tell you to vote and you vote for their one candidate. Why do you think Hugo Chavez admires Iran so much.
"I am here to support my establishment against the enemies' plot by voting," said Mahboubeh Esmaili, 28, holding her baby outside the Hoseiniyeh Ershad polling center in central Tehran, where around 50 people were queuing up to vote.
"Votes in this election are a needle in the eyes of the enemy," another voter told NBC News.
If this is a sample of the majority of the Iranian people we are wasting our time in discussions with them. We should continue to isolate them and remove their participation in any U.N. functions. No more trips to the U.S. by there head terrorist and kidnapper. Remove them from any public voice in our media. Let their hate speech continue in their own country and stop exporting it around the globe.
I don't even trust outpolling here, so I sure as H*ll don't trust it in Iran. Why do you think that NBC talked to anything that might represent a true sample of the Iranian people? In there 2004 outpolling, John Kerry got elected POTUS. And I'd say that the people were probably a little freer to give their true opinions here than they were there.
How About this:
In the end, it would save them untold millions in development and production costs and eventually they might even thanks us. It would also save us and the rest of the world a lot of head ache and expense. They would also be quite piss'd when they realized that they couldn't use them for a first strike without sacrificing their entire population. They couldn't use theirs anymore than we can use ours.
We could even paint peace signs on the side of the missles and a little message saying "y'all play nice".
War is hell so we might as well have some fun with the prelude !!!
Iranian version of Democracy - Kill the opposition !!!