By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East
ISLAMSHAHR, Iran – On March 12, Iran’s Intelligence Minister, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie, accused a leading reformist MP, Noureddine Pir Mouazen, of treason. Ejeie denounced Mouazen for giving an unauthorized interview with Voice of America, where Mouazen criticized the government of Iranian President Ahmadinejad.
Ejeie told the Iranian Republic News Agency that “this has definitely been treason and an appalling act.” He stated that the law “bans people in such positions from interviews with foreign radios and television. The Intelligence Ministry will certainly probe this and will not ignore it.”
Ejeie explained that “contacting foreigners has certain codes and not everyone can talk over any issues to foreigners.” He stated that such communication needed to be coordinated with the Foreign Ministry and that “it will harm the country and will be regarded as betrayal if issues against the system and domestic policies are discussed in these meetings which could be exploited by the enemies.”
In the March 9 interview Mouazen criticized the government’s decision to disqualify 1,700 reformist candidates, including himself, from standing in the parliamentary elections on March 14. Before Mouazen’s interview, the Guardians Council, an unelected body of jurists and clerics, disqualified many reformist candidates on vague for obscure reasons related to a lack of loyalty to Islam or the 1979 Islamic revolution.
The reformist coalition is led by former president, Mohammad Khatami and cleric Hojatoleslam Mehdi Karroubi. Before the Guardians Council disqualified the 1,700 reformist candidates, the coalition had a good chance of winning a majority of the seats in parliament. However, after the disqualification, the coalition is able to compete for less than half of the 290 seats.
There is growing discontent within Iran against the current regime, lead by President Ahmadinejad. However, the cause of criticism is varied. Some reformist leaders, like Mouazen, criticize Ahmadinejad’s foreign policy, believing that Iran is now isolated within the international community. Many reformist supporters criticize Ahmadinejad’s economic policy, which has led to double-digit inflation.
For more information, please see:
AFP – Khatami Urges Iran Reformists to Vote En Masse – 12 March 2008
BBC – Iran Accuses MP over TV Interview – 12 March 2008
Middle East Online – On Campaign Trail with Iran’s Khatami – 12 March 2008
Press TV – VOA Interview Will be Prosecuted – 12 March 2008
The Times (London) – Iran Starts ‘Treason’ Inquiry Ahead of Poll – 12 March 2008
Voice of America – Iran to Probe Iranian Lawmaker’s VOA Interview – 12 March 2008
