Reformist MPs fight election ban in Iran by Reuters 11:50am 12th Jan, 2004   January 12, 2004.    Angry Iranian reformists led by the President have launched a fight for their political survival, after a hardline watchdog barred thousands of liberal candidates from running in next month's parliamentary elections.    One leading reformist described the hardline Guardian Council's act as a "coup d'etat".The bans have set reformists and conservatives on a collision course and could force the Government to abandon the February 20 vote.Outraged reformers say the bans are bound to draw international fire.    They have vowed to resist the powerful Guardian Council, a 12-member conservative body that has blocked scores of reform bills passed by parliament in recent years.About 70 reformist MPs staged a sit-in at Parliament and said they might boycott the election.    Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi said: "The situation is like a football match in which the referee sends off one team and invites the other side to score."    Guardian Council spokesman Mohammad Jahromi, quoted by the official IRNA news agency, said 2,033 of the 8,200 aspiring candidates had been barred but MPs said the figure was higher.    President Mohammad Khatami said: "I don't view these methods as compatible with the principles of religious democracy."He said he would hold talks with the Guardian Council and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the last word on all state issues.    Interior Ministry spokesman Jahanbakhsh Khanjani says 27 of the country's 28 state governor's have written a letter to President Khatami threatening to resign within one week unless the Guardian Council reverses its decision.The 28th governor had already resigned for different reasons.    Reformist parties dominate the Iranian Parliament.MP Reza Yousefian said he was among more than 80 reformists, out of 290 members of Parliament, who had been banned from seeking re-election. Senior reformist MP Mohsen Mirdamadi said: "I believe this kind of disqualification is an illegal coup d'etat, a non-military regime change." He says many MPs may resign in protest.    Senior officials say Ayatollah Khamenei was surprised by the number of aspiring candidates who were disqualified. Mohammad Reza Khatami, the President's brother and head of Iran's leading reformist party, was among those barred from running. He says reformists might call on the Government to scrap the election if the hardline vetoes are not overruled. "Parliament will be turned into a focal point to confront these illegal moves," he said. "This could damage Iran's international relations ... People will only participate in elections where they have a choice."    Political analyst Hossein Rassam says he expects a compromise to be hammered out in coming weeks which will see many of the vetoed candidates allowed to run after all. "I doubt we will go into the vote with this many barred from running," he said.    Reformist sources said many of the MPs had been barred for signing outspoken letters to Ayatollah Khamenei in recent months calling for democratic reforms. Newspapers said others had been vetoed for drug-taking and association with fringe political groups. Analysts already expected the election to be a test of popular patience with what many see as a toothless reform movement.    Many young people have indicated they will abstain from voting in protest at the lack of social and economic reforms.
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