Top Iranian dissident says will stand for
president if hardliners resign, political prisoners freed from jail.
TEHRAN - One of Iran's most prominent dissidents, Ebrahim
Yazdi, announced Tuesday that he would stand in the
June presidential election, but only on the condition that powerful hardliners
resign and political prisoners are freed from jail.
"I will run for presidency if members of
the Guardians Council resign," the head of the banned Iran Freedom Movement
told reporters.
The Guardians Council, an unelected 12-member
body controlled by hardliners, holds the power to screen all legislation and
candidates for parliament or the presidency.
Prior to the February 2004 parliament
elections, the Council barred thousands of candidates from standing - most of
them reformists.
"These people have been unjust and are
not competent to be there," the 73-year-old dissident said.
"Pressure on political activists and the
press must stop and all political prisoners must also be freed," he added.
Yazdi is
currently facing charges of seeking to overthrow the Islamic regime, and is a
figure the Guardians Council would be highly unlikely to approve as a
presidential candidate in the June 17 polls.
He was a close aide to
The Iran Freedom Movement, founded in the
1960s by Bazargan, is a liberal nationalist
opposition movement seen as close to
The group was tolerated until 2001 but is now
banned in