Will Iran Be Freed from the Birdcage?
By Paul Barker
Contents of July 2024 Advocacy Bulletin • Iranian Elections • Iranian Politics and Policies • Rethinking Sanctions Policy, by Carolyn Yale • Sanctions • Iranian Economy • US, European Policy • Nuclear Issues • Region • Human Rights • Environment •
History Will Iran be Freed from the Birdcage?
Note from the Editor, Paul Barker, Bidokht, Shiraz, Tehran 1971-76
Is Iran a birdcage or not? A central debate in Iran’s presidential election revolved over who could best unlock the potential of the people of Iran. Several lessons seem to arise from the outcome of the election. Whenever given a real choice, the Iranian electorate has chosen the more moderate Presidential candidate over the more conservative one. In earlier elections they chose Khatemi, Rouhani and now Pezeshkian. Turnout for the first round of the election was a historic low of 40% but went up to 50% in the run-off when Pezeshkian emerged as a finalist with a good chance to win. Reflecting Pezeshkian’s Azari and Kurdish background, support for Pezeshkian was strongest in parts of the country with significant ethnic minorities: the Baluch, Arabs, Kurds, Azaris and Caspian provinces, as well as Tehran,.