Iran`s reformists urged to register for parliamentary elections

TEHRAN, Dec. 26 (MNA) – The pro-reform Mardomsalari Party (Democratic Party) issued a statement on Monday, calling on the reformists to register for the parliamentary elections. The registration of candidates for the parliamentary elections, which will be held on March 2, 2012, started on Saturday and will continue until Friday. “It is obvious that, in the current situation, if well-established political groupings and political groups and parties opt out (of the elections), go into a sulk, and act passively and inertly, not only will they not be able to prepare congenial conditions for achieving their goals and ideals but also they will help newly emerged, rootless, and unpopular groupings to gain ascendancy,” the statement read. Three pro-reform parties, namely the Mardomsalari Party, the Hambastegi Party (Solidarity Party), and the Etemad-e Melli Party (National Trust Party) have held a series of meetings over the formation of a coalition for the parliamentary elections. “The issue of forming a coalition between the Etemad-e Melli Party, the Hambastegi Party, and the Mardomsalari Party has been discussed during reformists’ joint meetings. We are making arrangements in this relation and mulling coalition,” Majid Nasirpour, who is a member of the Majlis minority faction, said. The first priority is convincing the reformist hopefuls, who are eligible to run for the elections, to register for the Majlis polls, he said. The report came a week after former president Mohammad Khatami said, “Reformists cannot and should not have candidates or a list (of candidates) for the elections, but it does not mean the boycott of the elections.”