IRAN: Nation headed for 'disintegration' if crisis festers, former candidate warns

Presidential candidate Mohsen Rezai, the sole conservative candidate who ran and lost against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in last month's marred elections, issued a pointed statement late Sunday night warning of "disintegration" of the country's Islamic system if the quarreling sides didn't settle their disputes.

In the aftermath of marred June 12 presidential elections, Iran has been shaken by its worst domestic political crisis since the early years after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Rezai acknowledged in the message on his website that the election and its aftermath "have raised questions in the minds of our people," blaming an "imperfect electoral structure" and politicians' "tactlessness" as well as "mismanagement of civil protests," which all served to undermine the system and push the country "toward a crisis," he wrote.

Below are excerpts from the lengthy note:

The most important thing for us stems from regional and international conditions of Iran. Should we lose what we've gained after three centuries we would never retrieve them in as many centuries. Ignoring our historical status and serving the interests of a specific faction would be a treason against millions of Iranians. 

Imprisoning the revolution politically is an unpardonable sin. Political disputes should not keep us from progress in economy and culture. We have no option but practicing unity to push ahead with the Islamic revolution. 

Anyone who has committed a mistake in the recent post-election events should compensate for and those who were damaged should be indemnified. We need cooperation and brotherhood. We have to respect civil rights. 

Political justice is more significant than economic justice. If we cannot let others participate in the state affairs, we are sailing into uncharted waters. Today, the Iranian society is at loggerheads with the supporters of the Islamic Republic. The revolution's family is flooded with accusations and certain groups describe them as new hypocrites. Is it not a conspiracy to pit the supporters of the regime against one another to set the stage for disintegration? 

The Bush administration and the Zionists failed to blunt Iran's growing influence in the region and they contemplated implosion. The best instrument to that effect was taking advantage of ignorance and emotionalism of certain individuals. 

Irrational sensationalism and fanaticism have been as effective as the interference of foreign powers in the recent events in Iran. Misters [Mir-Hossein] Mousavi, Ahmadinejad and [Mehdi] Karroubi have no other solution but to sit together if they intend to serve national interests.

-- Los Angeles Times

Photo: Former presidential candidate Mohsen Rezai speaks at his campaign headquarters in the days before the June 12 election. Credit: Borzou Daragahi / Los Angeles Times