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Election season in Iran.
Preparations are underway for March 2nd parliamentary elections in Iran, a vote likely to highlight the popularity of the clerical establishment as it stands firm against Western pressure to curb its nuclear work.
Some 3,400 candidates started campaigning early Thursday and must stop their canvassing 24 hours ahead of the March 2 vote.
The Iranian public seems divided in the first vote since the country's disputed 2009 elections.
(SOUNDBITE)(Farsi) UNNAMED TEHRAN CITIZEN, SAYING:
"Regarding the economic issues that people face, I myself have never voted. From now on, I don't think the vote of people like me would have an impact on the elections, because I don't have anyone that would represent me, who I would want to vote for. I mean, there is no one that I could say speaks on my behalf in Parliament or the presidency."
(SOUNDBITE)(Farsi) UNNAMED STUDENT, SAYING:
"100 percent it is our individual votes, which can make a powerful fist. In my opinion this is truly the right time to be present in the scene. I will vote 100 percent."
Analysts say the vote is shaping up as a contest among clerical and political conservatives. With a no-show by leading pro-reform groups, loyalists of Iran's most powerful figure, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and backers of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, will compete for a majority of the 290-seat parliament.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) ANALYST AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT UNIVERSITY OF TEHRAN, MOHAMMAD MARANDI, SAYING:
"I don't think any group will win an out-right majority, because there are a series of factions right now, and political entities with political parties that are at logger-heads with one-another over the elections. And therefore I think there will be coalitions forming after the elections as well between the different parties that win seats, so I doubt there will be a clear-cut out-right winner."
The parliamentary election will be the first nationwide vote since the disputed 2009 re-election Ahmadinejad that sparked eight months of unrest and a crushing state response.
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