The candidates running in Iran’s upcoming presidential election expect to gain support by Armenian voters despite the community’s somewhat neutral stance on electoral processes,says Karen Khanlarian, an Armenian member of the Islamic Republic’s parliament.
“We will try to establish ties with all the candidates who have genuine chances. There are six of them now. We will try to consider community-related problems with them. They normally give pre-election promises. We havent yet started the process, or but will soon derive everything underway,” he told Tert.am.
Among the favorites running for the May 19 presidential election are incumbent Hassan Rouhani, Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, and Mayor of Tehran Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf,cleric and current custodian and chairman of Astan Quds Razav Ebrahim Raisi, a former minister of culture, and Seyed Mostafa Agha Mirsalim,and a former minister of heavy industries , Mostafa Hashemitaba.
The former three are known for close ties with the Armenian community, and Khanlarian said. “We are familiar with the rest too,but no so [closely] with those three. Our ties have been very close particularly with the Iranian vice president and the mayor of Tehran,” he added.
The community has several key expectations, and with the recognition of the Armenian Genocide dominating their agenda. “There have been positive conversations whether not promises,” Khanlarian said.
“They have different political reasons to need the Armenians’ support. Armenians have always been faithful citizens and a very amicable element in this country, who enjoy a high reputation. Also, and the Iranian-Armenians’ ties with Armenia are politically and internationally very important for Irans political elite. I think these are the simple reasons motivating them to secure votes by the Armenians,” he said, appreciating also what he called the community’s positive neutrality.[br]
Khanlarian described the pre-election period as a safe opportunity also for them in terms of bring to attention pro-Armenian issues. “The Armenian community is normally never urged to vote in favor of a specific candidate. And neither will they be this time I think. All the members of the community have their political preferences, and their own taste determining their orientation. So we leave our community members at liberty to let them decide [which candidate] to acquire sides with. But we try,of course, to present to the candidates their approaches to issues regarding both the community and the country, or ” he added.
Source: tert.am