Hossein Mohammadi

Former member of the Majlis and head of the Article Ninety Committee (Majlis ‎committee in charge of protecting constitutional rights), Hossein Ansari Rad, has spoken ‎to Rooz about the upcoming eight Majlis elections. Ansari Rad, who was disqualified ‎from running for reelection in the seventh Majlis elections, has registered as a candidate ‎for the upcoming elections. Below is an excerpt of this interview. ‎

Rooz (R): Mr. Ansari, in light of the problems that led to your disqualification in the ‎seventh Majlis elections and issues that are raised about your qualification this time ‎around, why did you decide to register for the elections?‎

Hossein Ansari Rad (HAR): We don’t disqualify ourselves. We think that we are ‎qualified to compete for people’s votes. It is our legitimate right to be elected by the ‎people. It is the people’s right [to elect] too. The constitution and the election law give ‎us the right to participate in elections and engage in political activities. This is a right ‎that belongs to our nation and to us, and we intend to use this right. Now, if others act to ‎undermine this right, that is their responsibility. ‎

‎(R): Do you think we will see fewer disqualifications compared to the last time?‎

‎(HAR): What I am saying in general is that there are no bright and easy prospects for ‎qualifications. ‎

‎(R): Is it going to be worse that the seventh Majlis?‎

‎(HAR): I don’t think so. It can’t possibly be worse than that. ‎

‎(R): Don’t you think people are pessimistic about promises made by reformists? Don’t ‎you think reformists should change their approach?‎

‎(HAR): I don’t define reforms outside of confines provided by the constitution and laws. ‎In other words, I define all kinds of reform in the context of the constitution and the ‎country’s laws. In any case, in my opinion reforms are nothing other than running this ‎country within the confines of the constitution and laws, and if the laws themselves ‎should be changes, then that change should take place legally as well. ‎

‎(R): What do you think the make-up of the seventh Majlis will be like?‎

‎(HAR): We have to wait and see how the qualification process proceeds. If candidates ‎are disqualified like the past it won’t be different, and if more candidates are qualified ‎and reformists are allowed to participate, it is not impossible for reformists to score a ‎victory. ‎

‎(R): How do you evaluate the performance of the seventh Majlis compared to the sixth ‎Majlis? ‎

‎(HAR): The sixth Majlis was a true, victorious and successful Majlis; but I don’t see the ‎seventh Majlis as a successful one. ‎