Frank Gallagher's List: Rezaei

• Mr Rezaei, 55, was Iran’s top commander during the deadly Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988). He left the guards over a decade ago and now holds an influential job as secretary of the Expediency Council which drafts macro economic and political policies.

• In a statement on Wednesday, he warned of the “dangers” facing Iran. These included lost economic and political opportunities, high inflation and unemployment, poverty, immorality in politics and a widening gap between the regime and ethnic and religious minorities. He also warned of the creation of a new front in the Islamic world against Iran.

• As of this writing, there are at least half a dozen campaign headquarters that are currently semi-active or not active at all but are all awaiting the go-ahead from their would-be conservative candidates. Amongst them are those of the current mayor of Tehran, one that belongs to a former foreign minister, one belonging to a current cabinet minister, one to a recently fired minister and one to the former head of the Revolutionary Guards, Mohsen Rezaii.
• who has been one of the most trenchant critics of Ahmadinejad government from the right flank. A few months ago, he put forth the idea of an inclusive coalition government, one that would encompass many of the moderates and a few of the radicals. The
• He led Iranian forces against Saddam's armies during the 8-year war and is currently the secretary of the influential Expedience Council.
• , that Ahmadinejad's re-election is a foregone conclusion

  • Is it really that bad?
• n a straight conservative-reformist contest between Ahmadinejad and Mousavi, Ahmadinejad is expected to win between 13 to 17 million votes against 9 to 12 million for Mousavi, assuming that the second reformist candidate leaves the race.

  • Where does this data come from?
• many Rightist leaders - particularly in the Revolutionary Guards and its paramilitary affiliate, the Basij - have on numerous occasions warned that they would under no circumstances tolerate such a scenario, i.e., even if Mousavi technically wins the election in the first round, he would never be allowed to actually win the presidential seat.
• Of the 17 million votes cast, roughly 7 million came from the traditional bloc of conservative voters who unfailingly vote for Rightist candidates. The rest, which was quite a novel development for Iran, came from the economic grievances of the lower classes who were under the impression that Ahmadinejad was a champion of the poor or an anti-corruption crusader.

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• I have studied economics (for 12 years), I have an economic plan which will transform the Iranian economy.
• i.e., the government will not (be) a merchant or factory owner. The people — whether the private sector, or through cooperatives, or as families in partnership (with one another) — are the principal basis of economic activity.
• The government factories will be privatized. We will decrease the share of the government in the economy to under 50%.
• An increase in the power of the president will allow us to create a strong and powerful government in Iran.

  • At the expense of who?

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