Iran: Most candidates' bans stay
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President Khatami hoped for a deal with the Guardian Council
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TEHRAN, Iran (Reuters) -- Iran's hard-line Guardian Council said Friday it had reversed bans on about one-third of candidates it had initially blocked from standing in next month's parliamentary elections, state television said.
The council's refusal to readmit more candidates to the polls indicated the hard-liners' determination to ignore an almost three-week-long sit-in at parliament by reformist deputies and top reformist officials' threats to resign.
The 12-man conservative watchdog had blocked about 3,600 of the 8,200 hopefuls for the February 20 vote, mainly allies of reformist President Mohammad Khatami, including 80 deputies from the 290-seat parliament.
"More than 1,160 aspiring candidates were reinstated," said a Guardian Council statement read out on state television.
Around 3,300 would-be candidates appealed their bans.
Provincial governors and the Interior Ministry have called for the election to be postponed until its fairness can be guaranteed, but that appears unlikely since any delay also needs to be approved by the Guardian Council.
Reformist deputies taking part in the sit-in posted a statement on Iranian news agencies saying they would not participate in the election and would resign.
Those disqualified still have another chance to appeal but many complain the council's tactics have already scuttled their campaigning.
In the midst of Iran's worst political crisis of recent years, the moderate Khatami has expressed hope that a deal can still be struck with the Guardian Council. But many firebrand reformists say they will accept no compromise.
Meanwhile students, a major political force, are still keeping their powder dry to test the reformists' commitment to the struggle.
The public appears largely unimpressed by the dispute, disenchanted by the reformists' lack of progress in bringing about social and economic changes.
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