‎The recent statement issued by Iran’s Nehzate Azadi (the Freedom Movement of Iran) group and ‎the call for international monitoring of Iran's forthcoming March 14th Parliamentary elections ‎have already become very controversial. The discussions have heated up so much that ayatollah ‎Khamenei, the so called leader of the Islamic Republic directly responded to the Freedom ‎Movement’s call for international monitoring, which led to greater pressure on the group. And as ‎the issue intensifies we conducted an interview with the Mohammad Tavassoli, a leading ‎member of the group. Read on. ‎

Rooz (R): The Freedom Movement of Iran has called for the international monitoring of Iran's ‎March 14th elections. On what basis has the group issued this call? ‎

Mohammad Tavassoli (MT): The statement was issued to guarantee the freedom and integrity of ‎the elections. This strategy was suggested in light of the Guardian Council's behavior and in ‎order to prevent the dilemma that the reform movement is currently grappling with. ‎

We were looking to provide a new strategy to increase the capacity for the legal and peaceful ‎struggle towards democracy. International monitoring fits within the framework of the Islamic ‎Republic's international obligations. ‎

R: Was your goal international monitoring of the eight Majlis elections? ‎

MT: We do not expect for international monitoring to take place in the eight Majlis elections. ‎However, raising this idea, and especially with the responses that it received and discussions that ‎have been taking place in society, this at least created the framework for examining such a ‎possibility for gradual reform in our society. Under the current conditions those who pursue ‎legal and peaceful reforms, continue to believe that there still remain democratic means to pursue ‎these goals, which also prevents people from becoming disappointed and hopeless. ‎

R: Do you really think that international monitoring is something that can be implemented? ‎

MT: If you look at the developments of the past 3 decades, you will notice that initially many of ‎them seemed undoable. For example, in the 1980s no one spoke about political parties or party ‎politics. Many individuals at that time were proud of the fact that they didn't belong to any ‎group or political party. Today however, party politics and collective action is acceptable, at ‎least by the elite in today's society. ‎

R: Do you think that the Iranian regime will accept the idea of international monitoring of the ‎elections?‎

MT: Many countries ask for international monitoring of their elections in order to strengthen ‎their international standing and political legitimacy: for example, Russia, Nicaragua, Turkey, and ‎even Palestine, where Hamas was elected, or recently in Pakistan. I believe that if this issue ‎becomes a public issue with popular pressure behind it, a day will come with Islamic Republic ‎officials will accept international monitoring to boost their legitimacy. ‎