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Karroubi served as the parliament speaker from 1989 to 1992, and from 2000 to 2004. |
Iran's presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi says if elected, he would pursue a foreign policy that aims for coopration and constructive dialogue with all countries. Karroubi, 72, pledges not to involve Iran in useless disputes.
Born in 1937, Karroubi is a prominent political figure, who served as the parliament speaker from 1989 to 1992 and from 2000 to 2004. He is also the founder and head of the National Trust (Etemad-e Melli) Party.
In an exclusive interview, the two-time parliament speaker talked to IslamOnline.net about Iran's upcoming election, his electoral program, and the future of the Reformist movement.
IslamOnline: Mr. Karroubi, thanks a lot for accepting to do an interview for IslamOnline.net. I would like to ask you first about why you have decided to run for president this year.
Karroubi: I believe that the capabilities of the current president are below what’s necessary for administrating Iran. I think that the government should be changed in order for Iran and its honorable people to be able to occupy the suitable status among the peoples of the world. And it is natural for an experienced political figure like me to aspire to fulfill my role in this regard.
You had reservations about the electoral process in 2005. Do you think that the electoral environment will be more fair this year?
This issue is over for me. I’ve entered the presidential race this time with a more precise electoral program, better preparation, and more suitable circumstances.
Yet, in general, other candidates and political groups have concerns, which has been reflected in the formation of joint committees for protecting votes.
Who is the candidate that you consider a tough competitor?
This is a competition, and it is natural to have an electoral program that enables me to compete with all candidates.
Don’t you think that your candidacy will split the Reformist vote between you and Mr. Mousavi, which might play in the benefit of Mr. Ahmadinejad or Mr. Rezaei?
This is not my way of thinking. While I believe that the presence of a big number of candidates ensures fulfilling more of the demands of the Iranian people, which in turn will mean a good turnout, some people talk repetitively about forming a coalition government.
Recent experiences have proved to political analysts the correctness of our political analysis. The Reformists win elections when there is a high turnout. But the political groups that don’t have enough popularity cannot adopt such a strategy.
In your opinion, who are the voters who would vote for you?
Throughout my political career, I’ve been concerned with establishing strong relations with all people, getting familiar with their problems, and attempting to solve them.
As a result, I have supporters among all social sectors. And the warm welcome I was given by people from different ethnic origins in cities and towns was quite obvious.
Also, I have supporters among university students and intellectuals who belong to the middle class. During my visit to Gilan governorate last week, like in all my other visits, I was warmly received.
What are the most important points in your electoral program?
I announced my electoral program a few months ago, and it includes reforming the planning system and the governmental administration of foreign policy, economy, and citizenship rights. Notably, my electoral platform includes modifying some articles in the Islamic Republic’s constitution.
To what extent are women issues part of your electoral program?
The part dealing with citizenship has a detailed section about women’s rights. Sixty percent of university students in Iran are women, and the role of Iranian women in society does not correspond with such a percentage.
What about minority rights?
I’ve issued a separate statement about minority rights. They should enjoy all their legal rights as citizens.
If elected, what kind of foreign policy would you pursue?
I would pursue a foreign policy that refrains from tension, aims for cooperation and constructive dialogue with all countries and international institutions, solidifies Iran’s status among other nations, abstains from engaging Iran in useless disputes, and does not harm Iran’s national interests.
How do you evaluate the performance of the Reformists during the period from the end of Mr. Khatami’s presidency till now?
In the transparent environment we are living in now, we should evaluate the performance of each group in the so-called Reformist movement separately. The Reformists belong to a number of different groups. Some of these groups are currently active while others are not.
Some of the most active Reformist groups on the political scene are known as Pragmatic Reformists, and they support me.
Why have you formed the National Trust (Etemad-e Melli) party? And what do you think your party can offer to the Iranian people?
At one point, I reached the conclusion that the activities of the Reforms Front cannot enable us to expect or act preemptively in critical situations that require making prompt decisions and implementing them. Also, the responsibilities of the various members of the Reforms Front were not clearly assigned.
Thus, I advise all Reformist groups to turn into political parties, and to take clear stances. This way, each party will propose a unique program that can meet people’s needs while preserving its general frame of reference. The National Trust (Etemad-e Melli) Party acts this way.
How do you see the future of the Reformist movement?
In a politically stable environment, any political movement that has a distinctive identity and that is constantly active will certainly achieve a distinguished status, and such a status will certainly be reflected in the number of votes it wins.
The Reformist movement represents the ideas of the majority of Iranian people, and I think it has a bright future.
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