IN THE NEWS - Iran Looks Back at Revolution and Ahead to Ele

IN THE NEWS - Iran Looks Back at Revolution and Ahead to Elections
By Cynthia Kirk

Broadcast: Saturday, February 14, 2004

This is Steve Ember with In the News, in VOA Special English.

Iranians this week observed the twenty-fifth anniversary of their Islamic Revolution. Many thousands of people gathered Wednesday in Azadi Square in Tehran.

President Mohammed Khatami praised the nineteen-seventy-nine revolution. However, he warned Islamic conservatives not to dismiss the wishes of the people, especially younger Iranians. He said doing so could turn people against the values of the Islamic republic and even Islam.

In a speech broadcast nationally, Mister Khatami told the crowds that he will continue to seek political reforms. He said elections for parliament will be held next Friday as planned. President Khatami says the elections will be unfair but his party will compete.

Last month, the Guardian¹ Council in Iran barred more than three-thousand pro-reform candidates from competing in the elections. The move created a political crisis. Many reformist members of parliament resigned. The Guardian Council later agreed to accept about one-thousand reformist candidates. But the reformers said that was not enough.

Candidates for seats in the Iranian parliament officially began to campaign on Thursday. But many reformers say they will boycott² the elections next week. Some Iranians say they fear a boycott would return control of parliament to conservatives.

President Khatami is Iran's leading reformist. He was elected and re-elected by a seventy-percent majority. But his government has not been able to carry out the reforms that it has promised.

Popular support for reforms has been growing in recent years. Conservative Islamic leaders, however, still have most of the control.

The Islamic Revolution ousted³ Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi in nineteen-seventy-nine. It brought an Islamic government to power led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. He had been in exile in Iraq.

Reformists gained control of the Iranian parliament in the elections in two-thousand. But the conservative Islamic leaders have been accused of using their power to block attempts to reform the political system and to ease social laws.

The Islamic leaders in Iran have more power than elected officials. The twelve members of the Guardian Council, for example, are appointed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme⁴ leader of Iran. They have the power to block legislation passed by parliament if they believe it does not support Islamic values. The council also has the power to block people from seeking high public office.

In his speech Wednesday, President Khatami criticized those who he said "oppose freedom and democracy in the name of religion." He urged Iranians to avoid the path either of the West or of extremism. He said he will continue along what he calls a "third way," even if he faces strong resistance.

In the News, in VOA Special English, was written by Cynthia Kirk. This is Steve Ember.

1 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

2 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

3 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

4 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。