FG

Number of candidates whose applicants were rejected by the Guardian Council.

1992 = 1000
1996 = not mentioned
2000 = 650
2004 = at first 3600, after protest 2400
2008 = 3000

Apologists for the Islamic Republic love to point out--correctly--that earlier elections for both the Majlis and presidency were relatively fair, open and unrigged. Where they fumble the ball is when they cite all that to "prove" massive cheating did not occur later. As stats whow clearly,open and free elections were tolerated JUST SO LONG AS PEOPLE VOTED THE WAY KHEMENEI WANTED. Ever since the refomers won control of the Majlis (2000 election) and the presidency, both elections have were rigged to prevent the much too popular reformers from repeating their earlier successes.

THE FIRST RIGGED MAJIS ELECTION WAS IN 2004. Between 2000 and 2004 Khamenei relied on death squads and vetos to prevent any real reform from the Majlis. Rigging Majlis election big time began in 2004, as stats reveal --rejections increased by over 500% and most rejecteees werere reformers. Khamenei stocked the Guardian Council with extreme conservatives an gave strict orders to ban most reform candidates, who made up 90 percent of the huge increase in "rejected" candidates.

THE FIRST RIGGED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WAS IN 2005: Rigging was easier to then because many people, disgusted with Khamenei's thwarting of reforms, stayed home. Even so, it took stubstantial rigging to explain a "surprise" victory by a previously unknown dark horse, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the expense of Rajsanjani who was seen as "not extreme enough."

THE SECOND STOLEN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WAS IN 2009: Having pulled it off one, the regime decided to do so again in 2009 when reformists voted in overwhelming numbers on the false expection the regime wouldn't dare this one with so many enthusiastic reformers turning out. You could feel the momentum. Hence, this election was much harder to rig, with refomers winning by a mile. Neverthless, as panicky pre-election warnings by Jafari, Ahmadinejad and Khamenei all suggested. a reformist victory would not be tolerated, no matter how many votes Mousavi got.

THE MAJIS ELECTION OF 2012: Since cheating has become so obvious, Iranians are saying "Why play a rigged game? It only hates the cheaters. Let's stay home on election day." Unfortunately for the mullahs, the major exception consists of Ahmadinejad's faction who know they can trump the mullahs if the reformers stay home. Throwing down the guantlet, they are virtually daring Khamenei to rig this one given the current explosive climate (sanctions, rotten economic conditions & ex-reformers converted into hatred of the regime."

THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 2013: Assuming the Islamic Republic lasts that long, one-time reformers (who all want the regime gone and have given up on reforming the unreformable) will boycott unless Khomeini's grandson, who despises Khamenei's totalitarian ways, should run in which case they may turn out by the millions. The regime will have a hard time banning this candate or finding enough rigged votes to prevent his victory, but they could assassinate him just as Khameneis death squads allegedly assassinated Khomenei's son, an equally pesty critic, a few years ago. If Khomeini's son wins, he will demand, not request, a new constitution based on secular democracy and no "Supreme Dictator.