Persian Letters

'Great Shock' Over Rafsanjani's Disqualification

Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani

The front page of Iran's "Ebtekar" daily (below left) is a good indication of how many Iranians felt when they heard the news that former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani -- one of the pillars of the Islamic establishment -- had been banned from running in next month's vote.
The headline in red reads: "Great Shock"
The exclusion of Rafsanjani from the vote paves the way for the Islamic establishment to bring a loyalist to power.
(Read more about the significance and implications of the Guardians Council's decision here.)

-- Golnaz Esfandiari