On May 2, 2005 Dr. Hooshang Amirahmadi laid out "An Alternative Platform" for the Iranian Presidential elections, stating that Iran was in need of effective leadership and participation in free and fair elections were the only means to that goal.

"Iranian Presidential Election: An Alternative Platform"

"Interview SBS Radio Australia - Hooshang Amirahmadi (30.4.2005)

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I am most unhappy to report that all is not well in Iran and that the nation lacks a prestigious address in the emerging global community. Iran has indeed become a P.O. Box nation in the new world.

The country faces multiple complex and challenging problems. Iran is psychologically depressed, economically stagnant, technological backward, politically undemocratic, socially ill and divided, culturally confused, territorially imbalanced, and internationally demonized. Iran today has no set direction and its leadership is without vision for a modern future. It is no wonder that the young Iranians have trouble seeing a prosperous Iran on the horizon.

I know these are disturbing statements, and I do not wish for a second to impress upon you a pessimistic view of the future. The fact is the Iranian nation does not deserve the miserable condition in which it lives today. Iran is a country rich in people, history, culture, art, geography, and natural resources. As the first empire builders, for centuries Iranians stood for the historic East against the historic West and have been a pivot of stability.

Today, a gap exists between Iran's resources and its achievements. I dare to say that Iran is indeed one of the lowest achievers in the world today relative to its resources. Why so? It is certainly not because the nation has not tried. It is now well over a century that the Iranian people have been trying to close the gap and advance. They have used reform and revolution as well as tens of theories, strategies and policies to achieve this. However, save for some initial successes, they have been increasingly disappointed.

Why so, let me ask again? As a nation, Iranians do not agree on the cause or the causes of their general undevelopment. Most Iranians blame foreign powers; some condemn the ruling elite, and others hold a combination of the two responsible. However, to me it is all about the lack of vision and leadership...

The following comments were submitted in response to last week's "Reader Commentary" on the Iranian election. In the spirit of dialogue, the Council feels compelled to continue to print this feedback and also to attempt to respond when necessary.

"I believe 50% voters turn out is a good percentage. If you look at the recent US. presidential election the percentage of eligible voter's turn out was approximately the same despite the most heated public outreach from both camps. The country was and still is so divided that many even just voted for the first time to support their candidate of choice, but still the turn out was not much greater than 50%. In terms of diversity of ideologies and choices, I believe Iranian populace has more choice than Americans in this presidential election. Here, we only had two choices and they both shared the same principles and only disagreed on the means to reach those principals. I think it is the same today in Iranian presidential campaign. It is true that all candidates share the same principals and divide on the means to reach those principal, but at least the choices are more diverse. Having said all these, we can never compare Iran with the US. or European countries, it is only fair to compare Iran with other nations in the Middle-East. At least we have elections in Iran, it might not be perfect but at least we have what the US. is trying so hard to promote at more basic levels in Iraq and Afghanistan."

- AIC Update Reader

"People must realize that by not voting they can seriously impact their own destiny as well as that of the Islamic system."

Iran's Interior Ministry Spokesman Jahanbakhsh Khanjani

Most importantly, a 50% turnout is extremely low by Iranian standards, and preliminary polling indicates that this Presidential election will experience the lowest voter turnout in the 25-year history of the Islamic Republic. The average voter turnout in three Assembly of Experts elections was 58.53%; the average voter turnout in six Majlis elections was 60.60% and 63.79% in the past eight presidential races. Moreover, this election would come on the heels of a 50% turnout in the 2004 Parliamentary election (with some areas experiencing a less than 25% turnout), significantly lower than the 67% experienced in the 2000 Parliamentary elections.

Despite the fact that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has declared this year the year of "Public Participation and National Solidarity," the decline in voter turnout is both sharp and drastic, and millions of eligible Iranians are not expected to vote. Amidst the predictions that voter turnout will be low is the notion that in the absence of moderate and left-leaning voters, the Presidency will transfer to Conservative control. Iran's Presidency has repeatedly eluded hard line conservative control, but only in an environment of high voter turnout and the current poll numbers suggests otherwise. Regardless, low voter turnout is being attributed to widespread dissatisfaction with the current candidate choices, lack of transparency in the Guardian Council's decisions, and a declining confidence in the principles of the Islamic Republic.

The Council urges such dialogue, so please direct all feedback and commentary to aic@american- iranian.org or update@american-iranian.org.

The survey 'Defining US-Iran Hostility' will only be on the American Iranian Council website for one more week. The Council has received substantial feedback from this survey and believes it has met its purpose in gauging the most important issues related to US-Iran relations.

Please look forward to additional surveys in the future.

With an international conference on the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty underway, Iran's nuclear program is an illustration of the progress and problems of international non-proliferation. Legally, Iran possesses the right to enrich uranium, but realistically it is an endeavor that will escalate international tensions and illuminate the weaknesses of the NPT. The United States remains suspicious that Iran is using its peaceful nuclear activities as cover for developing nuclear weapons, a lesson taught to us by North Korea.

Iran remains immovable on its decision to produce nuclear fuel. However, Iran has made no decision on whether it will restart its nuclear enrichment program, an action that is believed to jeopardize the success of European negotiations and escalate tensions with the United States. The negotiations have so far have failed in building confidence in the international community. The impending failure of the negotiations must be met with additional measures, if Iran does not want to become further isolated.

Support for US Ebbs Among Iranians
by Mike Shuster

All Things Considered, May 3, 2005 · Messages from the United States are monitored closely in Iran, where the attitude toward America is at its chilliest in years. Recent talk about the possibility of using military force to stop Iran's nuclear program has hardened attitudes considerably.

Iran has long been an anomaly in the Middle East, standing as one of the countries whose citizens are pro-American while its government is staunchly anti- American, but NPR's Mike Shuster suggests that this attitude has changed. In the current environment of the Middle East, statements by the United States negatively impact the Reformist movement and the internal Iranian opposition. As a result, Iranian attitudes towards the United States are growing increasingly disgruntled. However, Shuster's assessment of Iranian public opinion should be viewed skeptically. Shuster's report primarily quotes Iranian government officials, a group that has long held negative views of America. One should be wary not confuse a growing dislike of "American policies" across the Middle East, and in Iran, with a dislike for American and Americans, nor should we confuse Shuster's report with the suggestion that ordinary Iranians no longer see a future for US-Iran relations.

Listen to the report.
http://www.npr.org/templates/stor y/story.php?storyId=4629459