The Winning Ticket

The names of Khatami and Nuri, two of the most prestigious in Iranian politics, will appear on the ballot for next month's parliamentary e...

The names of Khatami and Nuri, two of the most prestigious in Iranian politics, will appear on the ballot for next month8217;s parliamentary elections, with their owners hoping to form a dynamic duo to help push forward reform 8212; backing the policies of their elder brothers.

Mohammad-Reza Khatami, 40, and Ali-Reza Nuri, 36, have made their own careers 8212; both are doctors 8212; far from the political arena, where they are still novices. But they revere their respective brothers 8212; the moderate President, Mohammad Khatami whose reforms have been hampered at every step by a conservative parliament, and the former interior minister, Abdollah Nuri, now in jail for anti-Islamic propaganda,8217; and idol of all those who want to get things moving8217; in Iran.

8220;For those young people who elected Mohammad Khatami and who would have liked to elect Abdollah Nuri to parliament, these brothers are the duo with the winning ticket, even if they lack experience,8221; said analyst Khosro Abedi. Mohammed-Reza will head the 30 names onthe Tehran list of the Participation Front, the left wing of the reformist faction and driving force of the Khordad 2 Front the coalition named after the date in 1997 of the elder Khatami8217;s surprise election victory. In such a position, he is sure of being elected. Ali-Reza has no party allegiance, and could appear on a different list, but both are ardent Khatami supporters, and likely to work closely together in the future parliament, even if, as Nuri told AFP, 8220;we do not have complete identity of views on everything8221;.

8220;A lot of people contacted us, Mohammad-Reza and me, to persuade us to campaign jointly. We are very much in favour,8221; he said. Both point to polls indicating that Abdollah Nuri would have been 8220;easily elected8221; if he had not been tried and imprisoned. 8220;It was the jailing of my brother which made up my mind. Abdollah encouraged me. It is a symbolic and political gesture, but also an emotional one,8221; Nuri said. The Nuri name will be a help 8220;but I cannot count on all those who wouldhave voted for him 8212; who would very likely have become speaker of parliament 8212; voting for me,8221; he admitted.

As he put it at a public meeting in southern Teheran, he wanted to speak to 8220;people who had turned up to see Nuri8217;s brother, and others who had come for Ali-Reza8221;. Both Nuri and Khatami are in no doubt as to what is at stake in the election. 8220;Until now, elections were held to consolidate the regime, and competition was unimportant. This time, the result, whatever it may be, will determine the future of the regime and the revolution,8221; Mohammad-Reza told a rally at Teheran University on Wednesday.

8220;Today there are two ways of looking at the Islamic Republic, religious loyalty and freedom,8221; he said. Ali-Reza agrees. 8220;If the reformers are elected, that will help the progress of reforms, and help to get the country out of the political dead-end where it is now stuck.quot;