The Influence of Leadership and the Revolutionary Guard on Elections

One of the most controversial events in this round of elections for the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Assembly of Experts in Iran was the method of determining the qualifications of candidates for these elections, and once again, as in previous rounds, the sharp criticisms of opponents targeted the Guardian Council. But is it only this institution, the Guardian Council, that influences all elections in Iran? Where does the leadership office, led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, stand in these elections, and what role do security and military institutions, primarily the Revolutionary Guard, play in the elections? Additionally, how influential are other powerful centers such as conservative religious institutions and organizations in the election results? Radio Farda has discussed these questions with three analysts of Iranian political affairs: Akbar Ganji, a writer and political analyst in the United States, Reza Alijani, a national-religious activist and political analyst residing in France, along with Morad Veisi, a former instructor at the Armed Forces Organization at the School of News at Radio Farda.