Many Iranian women and young people are disillusioned about the upcoming elections, desperate for reform but losing hope in Hassan Rouhani and his promise of a freer society, Reuters reports.
‘I am not going to make the same mistake twice. I have decided not to vote,’ said Setareh, a university graduate in the northern city of Rasht. ‘I voted for Rouhani – was he able to improve my situation? No.
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“Rouhani’s supporters hoped that his election victory would lead to social change in country where women have lesser rights than men in areas including inheritance, divorce and child custody and are subject to travel and dress restrictions, and strict Islamic law is enforced by a ‘morality police’.”
“But rights campaigners say there has been little, if any, moves to bring about greater political and cultural freedoms as the president has focused on striking the nuclear accord with world powers.”
The report adds that “promises to loosen Internet restrictions have not been met. Access to social media remains officially blocked, though Rouhani and Khamenei have their own Twitter accounts.”
“This has been a particular grievance among those under 30, who represent more than two-thirds of the 78 million population and were born after the 1979 Islamic revolution that toppled the U.S.-backed Shah.”
‘I am not going to vote. What is the use of voting? My hopes are shattered,’ said a 27-year-old engineer in Tehran, who refused to give his name.
A report by the U.N. special rapporteur on Iran last year said human rights in the country ‘remained dire’ under Rouhani, while separately a U.N. child rights watchdog said this month that girls faced discriminatory treatment ‘in family relations, criminal justice system, and property rights’.
‘Rouhani by no means is a political opposition figure to the clerical establishment,’ said a senior Western diplomat in Tehran.
‘No matter which political faction wins the majority in the parliament. The ultimate power will remain in the hands of Mr. Khamenei.’