digg this!Yes, unfortunately the Guardian Council and the Ministry of Interior did not render the necessary information to us despite what we had previously agreed on. Therefore Mr. Rezaei withdrew his complaint. The Ministry of Interior was supposed to provide us with the lists of all polls and the detailed counting of each, in addition to the forms #22, #23 and #28 [forms containing the official information have gone through various levels of bureaucracy] of each district; which represent the records and the initial counting of each poll. They were also supposed to give us the general record of the counting of the votes by the Ministry of Interior and the Guardian Council; because comparison of these records could help us verify the accuracy of the election results. But since none of this information was provided, we could not pursue our complaint; so Mr. Rezaei gave up.
It was said that 10% of the votes would be recounted in the presence of Mr. Rezaei’s representatives; did that ever happen?
One of the agreements between Mr. Rezaei and the Guardian Council for recounting 10% of the votes was that they start off by 1000 of the polls first and then after revealing the results of this recounting, they continue recounting up to 10,000 polls. We were supposed to go along with these agreements, but they were broken right after we started.
Was the Guardian Council responsible for this lack of cooperation or the Ministry of Interior?
These issues were in hands of the Ministry of Interior which did not cooperate with us. While Mr. Rezaei’s representatives had been already introduced to the Ministry of Interior and the Guardian Council, they did not give us the appropriate information.
Yet despite your words that the votes were not really recounted, the Guardian Council and the Ministry of Interior have announced that they have recounted the votes and Mr. Rezaei’s share of votes has been reduced after recounting.
The Ministry of Interior’s claim about the recount, refers to some sort of unofficial recounting of some ballot boxes before the candidates were even informed. Yet even in this unofficial recounting it was revealed that 70% to 80% of the votes had been written with the same kind of pen and the same handwriting and in the name of one specific candidate; but since we did not receive the necessary raw data, this kind of finding was useless and could not prove anything in practice.
How did you find out about this issue with 70-80% of the ballots cast for that specific candidate in the recounted polls?
We realized it based on the reports received from our representatives who were present in voting booths and polls.
How did you pursue this infringement?
We informed the representatives of the Guardian Council about it. We also plan to report it to the “Special Committee” of the Guardian council.
Based on the same recounting that you called “unofficial”, and you also claim it was done without informing the candidates, it was alleged that because Mr. Rezaei’s of the votes have decreased, he has withdrawn his complaint. Do you confirm this?
Not at all; this is quite an unfair argument, because Mr. Rezaei initially said he is even willing to give his votes to other friends [apparently meaning other candidates]. Even when he appeared in the “special news interview” [on the official government TV] he stressed out this point. Mr. Rezaei was never seeking an increase in the number of his votes. He was pursuing his complaint and submitted his complaint to the Guardian Council, in order to prove the fairness of the 10th presidential elections and to ensure the authenticity of the results. He wanted to show that this sort of complaint can always be resolved by following the law and taking civil actions.
Apparently it was only Mr. Rezaei who chose to pursue this course of action; because the other candidates did not introduce any representative to the Guardian Council. Did Mr. Reazei hold any meetings with the other objecting candidates regarding their complaints?
No, no meeting has been held with them in this [post-election] period.
So he initially introduced his representative to the Guardian Council without consulting the other two candidates. Why then, this time around, has he conditioned his introducing a representative to the “Special Committee of the Guardian Council” on the other two candidates doing the same?
Because he was not successful in pursuing his complaint single-handedly. He believes that resolving the current issue is possible only if all three objecting candidates cooperate with each other to solve it.
After constituting the “Special Committee of the Guardian Council”, the speaker of this council asked the two objecting candidates, Mr. Mousavi and Mr. Karrubi, to announce their representatives and there was no mention of Mr. Rezaei. Does this mean that Mr. Rezaei’s complaint is considered withdrawn by the Guardian Council?
I do not know; you should ask them!
Perhaps because Mr. Rezaei already withdrew his complaint, the Guardian Council thinks that he does not have any complaint which he wants the “Special Committee” to revise. Don’t you think so?
Mr. Rezaei is still insisting on his complaints towards the whole process of the 10th presidential election. He withdrew pursuing his own right, but he is still pursuing the people’s right via legal conduits.
So he should introduce his representative to the Special Committee regardless of what the other two candidates do!
He will stay faithful to the condition he has set in introducing a representative to the Special Committee of the Guardian Council, and will wait for the other two candidates to introduce their representatives first. Since some officials have suggested mediation between the candidates to bring about their reconciliation and satisfaction, it is not too far from sight that all three objecting candidates introduce their representatives to the Guardian Council.
Which officials have proposed these offers?
I don’t know exactly who has proposed this offer. But many different officials believe that the opinions from both sides should be heard so that a appropriate solution can be found and put to practice.
Was the formation of the “Special Committee for revising the complaints of the objecting candidates” =the result of these mediations?
It might have been so; but the committee could have been more comprehensive and formed earlier.
Does this mean you are critical of the combination of the members of this committee and its formation time?
Yes, the Special Committee was formed too late. Currently the Guardian Council has a very limited amount of time and the deadline for any revision is tomorrow (Today, Monday, June 29th – the day when this interview was published). The members of this committee, despite being trustworthy and respectful, have other businesses in other places. It would have been better if other figures – who were less active during the campaign and had leaned less towards a particular candidate were appointed to this council.
Despite all these issues, the spirit of forming this committee by the Guardian council was a positive one. The fact that the Guardian Council has agreed to form this committee, is an effective action which we hope will lead to a good result and helps us establish peace in the country.
But as you said before, the time for the Guardian Council to announce its opinion towards the election would end today and this council should announce its final decision?
There is no obligation. The Guardian Council was supposed to announce its opinion by Wednesday, but they requested extension. Therefore, now that the time for the Special Committee of the Guardian Council is limited and the there is no possibility for reaching a final decision, the Guardian Council can ask for another extension.
But before, Mr. Kadkhodaei, the speaker of the Guardian Council, had repeatedly announced that the the council’s decision is almost final and these requests for extra time are just to satisfy the opposing candidates. Do you think that the extension could result in any change in their decision?
Mr. Kadkhodaei’s statements are legally unacceptable. Nobody can predict the future. The fact that the Guardian Council forms a committee to investigate and pursue the complaints and announces beforehand that there has been no violations is not understandable for us. Some of these gentlemen may have clairvoyance powers!
Do you think the Special Committee of the Guardian Council will be capable of satisfying the objecting candidates and revive public trust; as it was intended to do?
It depends on the way the Special Committee will treat the candidates’ and people’s complaints. If the final decision of this committee is able to convince the people, it can bring relative calm to the society. But if they look at the problem with a condescending approach again and their decision is dictated to the people and the opposing candidates like an order, even if the complaints start fading away on the surface, this issue still remains in the people’s minds. Since the candidates’ complaints correspond with the people’s complaints, if the people are convinced by the final decision of the Guardian Council, the candidates will be satisfied as well.
And what if the Special Committee of the Guardian Council cannot convince the people and the candidates? Will there still be other ways for pursuing the complaints?
Yes, legal ways still remain, such as complaining to the Judiciary, complaining to the parlimanet’s "Commission for the 90th principle" and even presenting the complaints to the Supreme Leader as the highest ranking authority in the country. As it has been stated in the election laws, the final confirmation is reserved for the Supreme Leader. The ballots must be preserved in each district, until the supreme leader inaugurates the president.
Before the elections there was talk of the possibility of Mr. Rezaei withdrawing from the race, but at the end he withdrew his complaints. With his history of quitting the battle in two successive rounds of elections [Rezaei withdrew from the race in the last moment four years ago], do you think he will have any chance in the next election?
He did not quit this time. Mr. Rezaei did not hesitate in pursuing the people’s rights even for a second. He just withdrew his personal complaint; but he is still pursuing the people’s rights. Mr. Rezaei, despite all the speculation about his withdrawal, announced that he would not pull out even if he receives only one vote. He did so and he stayed in the race till the end.
Having said that, can we expect to see Mr. Rezaei running for presidency in the next presidential election?
You should ask this question from him. But when a popular politician’s goal is to help people, he has to be ready at all times and be active in the political arena, and make his decisions based on the circumstances.
