Iran has held its legislative elections, and the results are starting to creep in. There is no trend yet, but expectations should be low for anything positive. After all, the Guardians Council eliminated 1,700 electoral candidates because they were too much on the reformist side. In some localities, reformists were not even allowed to field a candidate. The choice is between the jihadi conservatives and the moderate conservatives, who are themselves not so moderate as just less hostile in their words to the West.
This election is truly a momentous occasion. This is the last opportunity for Iran's people to deal a significant political setback to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad before the nuclear standoff will have changed dramatically in some fashion. By the time Ahmadinejad is up for re-election in mid-2009, it will be too late.
One must feel for the Iranian people, a people who wants change badly but whose government will not allow it. This is not democracy. Not when the candidates are permitted to campaign for a maximum of one week, and only those who meet the absurd standards of the Guardians Council. This is a contest to see who is least unpalatable. With the reformists so weakened by the religious authorities, they cannot do all that much. All that can be done is to hope, hope and pray.
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