Iranian presidential election, 2009

Iranian presidential election, 2009 was a significant event in the history of Iran, marked by widespread protests and allegations of electoral fraud. The election was held on June 12, 2009, with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of the Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran running for re-election against Mehdi Karroubi of the National Trust Party, Mir-Hossein Mousavi of the Reformist Front, and Mohsen Rezaee of the Resistance Front of the Islamic Revolution. The election was monitored by the Guardian Council of Iran and the Ministry of Interior (Iran), with Ali Larijani and Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel playing key roles in the process.

Background

The Iranian Constitution requires the President of Iran to be elected by a direct vote of the people, with a term limit of four years. The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, has significant influence over the election process, and the Guardian Council of Iran is responsible for vetting candidates. In the lead-up to the election, Mohammad Khatami, the former President of Iran, announced his support for Mir-Hossein Mousavi, while Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Hassan Rouhani also played important roles in the campaign. The election was also influenced by the Iranian Green Movement, which emerged as a significant force in the country's politics.

Candidates

The four main candidates in the election were Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mehdi Karroubi, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, and Mohsen Rezaee. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was the incumbent president, while Mehdi Karroubi was a former Speaker of the Parliament of Iran. Mir-Hossein Mousavi was a former Prime Minister of Iran, and Mohsen Rezaee was a former Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Other notable figures, such as Mohammad Reza Khatami and Mostafa Moin, also participated in the election. The candidates were supported by various organizations, including the Islamic Iran Participation Front and the Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization.

Campaign

The campaign was marked by intense rivalry between the candidates, with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Mir-Hossein Mousavi emerging as the main contenders. The candidates engaged in a series of debates, which were broadcast on Iranian state television and covered by BBC Persian and Voice of America. The campaign also saw the use of social media and text messaging to mobilize supporters, with Twitter and Facebook playing important roles in the election. The European Union and the United States Department of State closely monitored the election, with Catherine Ashton and Hillary Clinton commenting on the process.

Conduct and controversies

The election was marred by allegations of electoral fraud and vote rigging, with Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi claiming that the election was stolen. The Guardian Council of Iran and the Ministry of Interior (Iran), led by Sadegh Mahsouli, were accused of manipulating the results. The election also saw widespread protests and demonstrations, with Tehran University and Azadi Square becoming key locations for the protests. The Basij and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were deployed to suppress the protests, leading to clashes with protesters and the deaths of several people, including Neda Agha-Soltan.

Results

The official results of the election showed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad winning with over 60% of the vote, followed by Mir-Hossein Mousavi with around 30%. However, the results were widely disputed, and Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi claimed that the election was rigged. The European Union and the United States Department of State expressed concerns about the election, with Barack Obama and Angela Merkel commenting on the results. The United Nations Security Council also discussed the election, with Ban Ki-moon calling for calm and restraint.

Aftermath

The election led to widespread protests and demonstrations, with the Iranian Green Movement emerging as a significant force in the country's politics. The protests were marked by clashes between protesters and the security forces, with several people killed and many more arrested. The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, ordered an investigation into the election, but the results were widely seen as a whitewash. The election also had significant implications for Iran's foreign relations, with the United States, the European Union, and Israel all commenting on the results. The International Atomic Energy Agency and the United Nations also discussed the implications of the election for Iran's nuclear program. Category: Elections in Iran