Ali Tajernia, Mashhad’s representative in the sixth Majlis and member of the reformist Participation Front’s (“Hezb-e Mosharekat”) central committee, agrees with many other reformists that former president Seyyed Mohammad Khatami must participate in upcoming presidential election. However, Tajernia believes public satisfaction as a precondition for Khatami’s victory; a feat achieved only by reviewing past performance and providing satisfactory guarantees for advancing reforms. Below you can read the text of this interview.
Rooz (R): Mr. Tajernia, the hot topic of these days is the upcoming presidential election. What is your analysis of the position of reformists in this election?
Ali Tajernia (AT): I think that there is no important discussion or question about the general condition of our country. Supporters of reformists, unlike the Principalist camp, are not beholden to power; but are generally people who require certain thought process and analysis. Therefore, these people need a reason for participating in the upcoming presidential election. In other words, supporters of the Principalist camp participate in the election out of a sense of duty, whereas supporters of the reformist camp regard the elections as a kind of right that they will when they know and see that using this right is effective. Therefore, I think, in present conditions, without speaking about individuals who are willing to become candidates, we must answer the question of how we can bring supporters of reformists into the election scene.
R: What is your own answer to this question?
I think that people who support reforms and reformists need more serious guarantees that have so far been provided to improve conditions. In other words, more conviction and resoluteness is now needed than before, and I my opinion, more attention must to be paid to these discussions and demands. Otherwise, I do not think that we should enter discussions regarding election candidates yet. If the public opinion is prepared then even unknown figures can be successful, but if this question is left unanswered, even prominent figures may not be successful. Perhaps it is better for a person like Mr. Khatami to be a bit more detailed and pragmatic about programs that is proposed within the reformist framework. Perhaps obstacles on the path and problems facing such proposals should be discussed in this connection too.
R: With all these issues in mind, do you think it is plausible for reformists to attempt to agree on a single candidate?
AT: I think that if someone like Mr. Khatami participates, many of the candidates will prefer that he be the only candidate, but if he decides not to participate, then the possibility of consensus is very low.
