Iran Weekly: Ahmadinejad Holds Rally at Azadi Stadium; Parliament Approves Budget Bill; Rafsanjani Rules Out Candidacy

Top Stories Ahmadinejad Holds Rally at Azadi Stadium Parliament Approves Budget Bill Rafsanjani Rules Out Candidacy Police Preparing for Presidential Elections Reformists, Clerics Call for Khatami’s Candidacy

Ahmadinejad Holds Rally at Azadi Stadium: On Thursday, President Ahmadinejad held a controversial rally at Azadi Stadium with nearly 70,000 supporters in attendance. Experts have suggested that the rally would be held as an opportunity to introduce Ahmadinejad’s favored candidate and ally, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei. Many officials accused him of spending public funds on an elaborate gathering for political purposes. Despite the accusations, Ahmadinejad did not refer to the elections during the rally, and Mashaei did not appear at the stadium. Sources: • ’s president holds rare massive rally to praise government staff Fox News [English], 04/18/2013 • Details of Government’s Rally at Azadi Stadium Shafaf [Persian], 04/18/2013 • Details of Government’s Rally at Azadi Stadium Alef [Persian], 04/18/2013

Parliament Approves Budget Bill: On Tuesday, 191 members of Parliament voted in favor of the government’s proposed budget. The bill was then sent to the Consolidation Committee for further evaluation. Approval came in spite of substantial criticism of the proposed budget’s lack of clarity and transparency, and predictions that it would shrink the economy and lead to higher inflation rates. Sources: • Parliament Finally Approves Government’s Budget EA World News [English], 04/17/2013 • Parliament Ratifies 2013-2014 Budget Mehr News [Persian], 04/16/2013 • Parliament Approves Budget Bill BBC Persian [Persian], 04/16/2013

Rafsanjani Rules Out Candidacy: On Tuesday, Saham News reported that embattled former , , had spoken about the rift between him and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a closed meeting with former state governors. Rafsanjani told the governors that he does not believe there is any potential for cooperation between him and Khamenei, and that he would not compete in the elections. Rafsanjani also reportedly expressed concern about the nature of the Revolutionary Guard’s power, stating, “Now, they control the economy as well as domestic and foreign policy and they will not be satisfied with anything short of the entire country.” On Wednesday, the Expediency Discernment Council denied that Rafsanjani had made these statements. Saham News said the report had been confirmed by reliable sources attending the meeting. Sources: • Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani appears to rule out candidacy Guardian [English], 04/17/2013 • Rafsanjani Denies Statements BBC Persian [Persian], 04/17/2013 • Rafsanjani’s Office Reacts to the News Saham News [Persian], 04/17/2013 • Rafsanjani: Supreme Leader’s Distrust Makes Running Unlikely BBC Persian [Persian], 04/16/2013 • IRGC Not Satisfied with Less than the Entire Country Saham News [Persian], 04/16/2013

Police Preparing for Presidential Elections: On Friday, Iranian Police Chief Brigadier General Esmail Ahmadi Moghaddam announced the reimplementation of new “moral and security” measures ahead of the upcoming elections. The move follows Tuesday’s announcement by Deputy Police Chief Brigadier General Saeed Montazeralmehdi that an elections headquarters would be created for police to provide security for the elections and monitor anti-regime websites and social media. Sources: • Iranian police announce election security headquarters/a> Payvand News [English], 04/17/2013 • Special Headquarters to Provide Elections Security BBC Persian [Persian], 04/16/2013 • Morality Watch EA World News [English], 04/12/2013

Reformists, Clerics Call for Khatami’s Candidacy: A group of imprisoned Green Movement activists composed a letter to former President , asking him to run in the upcoming elections. The prisoners welcomed Khatami’s announcement that he would not run unless imprisoned Green Movement activists were released, but they implored him to compete anyway. Similarly, 110 clerics from Qom also called on Khatami to run. On Thursday, the government reportedly blocked the “Salam Khatami” website, established by Khatami’s supporters a week ago in order to collect signatures in support of his candidacy. Sources: • 110 Qom Clerics Ask Khatami to Run Raahe Sabz [Persian], 04/18/2013 • Salam Khatami Filtered BBC Persian [Persian], 04/18/2013 • Green Movement Detainees’ Letter to Khatami Raahe Sabz [Persian], 04/17/2013

Iranian Journalists Describe Climate of Fear: A group of Iranian journalists met in Berlin on Wednesday to discuss the condition of journalists in Iran. Ali Mazroi, head of the Association of Iranian Journalists, said that the Supreme National Security Council has banned journalists from reporting about nuclear energy and currency values, among other topics. Reza Moini of Reporters Without Borders added that censorship in Iran is without limits: journalists can be arrested for writing cultural articles, and then charged with “acting against the nation and the Islamic regime.” Ehsan Mehrabi, a journalist who was previously imprisoned, said that the pressures the regime imposes on journalists extend beyond arrests, citing government attempts to undermine the private and professional lives of many journalists. Sources: • Iranian Journalists Discuss Conditions in Iran Rahe Sabz [Persian], 04/18/2013 • On the Arrest and Imprisonment of Journalists Nedaye Sabze Azadi [Persian], 04/18/2013

Fariborz Raisdana Released: On Monday, Iranian economist and professor Fariborz Raisdana was released after a year of detention. Raisdana was charged with “propaganda against the regime through membership in the Writers’ Association,” signing political statements, and giving interviews in which he was critical of the government’s performance. Sources: • Fariborz Raisdana Released International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran [English],04/16/2013 • Fariborz Raisdana was Released from the Evin Prison BBC Persian [Persian], 04/15/2013 — Daniel Tavana return to top