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| Iranians Say Election Won’t Bridge Gap Between Lofty Goals and Reality | Iranians Say Election Won’t Bridge Gap Between Lofty Goals and Reality |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| TEHRAN — On the final day of campaigning, the front-runners in the Iranian presidential election were full of promises of a bright future. | TEHRAN — On the final day of campaigning, the front-runners in the Iranian presidential election were full of promises of a bright future. |
| “There is hope in your eyes,” the mayor of Tehran, Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, told thousands in front of a mosque here in the capital on Wednesday. | “There is hope in your eyes,” the mayor of Tehran, Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, told thousands in front of a mosque here in the capital on Wednesday. |
| “We will achieve victory in the war of wills” with the West, Saeed Jalili, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, said at a rally at a nearby stadium, where babies in the crowd wore headbands praising Shiite saints. | “We will achieve victory in the war of wills” with the West, Saeed Jalili, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, said at a rally at a nearby stadium, where babies in the crowd wore headbands praising Shiite saints. |
| But for many Iranians, Friday’s vote will do little to redress a widening gap between the promises of their leaders and the realities of their day-to-day lives. | But for many Iranians, Friday’s vote will do little to redress a widening gap between the promises of their leaders and the realities of their day-to-day lives. |
| The people they see on state television rarely disagree with state policies, and the anchors dress like Islamic role models, with neatly cut beards and sober clothes. | The people they see on state television rarely disagree with state policies, and the anchors dress like Islamic role models, with neatly cut beards and sober clothes. |
| Their message is nearly always upbeat. “When our hearts are close to each other, we as a nation can move mountains,” one smiling anchor said Thursday, appealing to Iranians to go out and vote on Friday. “Long live Islamic Iran!” | Their message is nearly always upbeat. “When our hearts are close to each other, we as a nation can move mountains,” one smiling anchor said Thursday, appealing to Iranians to go out and vote on Friday. “Long live Islamic Iran!” |
| But when Fatemeh, the daughter of a man killed in the Iran-Iraq war, watches the programs, she feels estranged. “I wonder if we live in the same country,” the 30-year old municipal worker said. “Anything they broadcast has so many contradictions with the way I really live, that I have sold my television.” | But when Fatemeh, the daughter of a man killed in the Iran-Iraq war, watches the programs, she feels estranged. “I wonder if we live in the same country,” the 30-year old municipal worker said. “Anything they broadcast has so many contradictions with the way I really live, that I have sold my television.” |
| Changed by Internet communications, travel outside the country and a diversity of viewpoints on the dozens of foreign satellite channels available on clandestine receivers, many of the generation born after the Islamic Revolution say they feel like outsiders in their own country. | Changed by Internet communications, travel outside the country and a diversity of viewpoints on the dozens of foreign satellite channels available on clandestine receivers, many of the generation born after the Islamic Revolution say they feel like outsiders in their own country. |
| “I no longer wear the chador,” said Fatemeh, who like many others interviewed for this article did not want her family name revealed for reasons of security. Raised in religious homes, adhering to the values of Islam came naturally. But she says that when the state introduced the morality police, who arrest women and men for dressing “immodestly,” she stopped wearing the chador out of protest. “Now my heart, too, skips a beat when I see the police.” | |
| Under the banner of stopping the “Western cultural invasion,” security forces confiscate satellite dishes, block millions of Web pages and limit Internet speeds. | Under the banner of stopping the “Western cultural invasion,” security forces confiscate satellite dishes, block millions of Web pages and limit Internet speeds. |
| “They don’t want us to understand how the rest of the world is living,” said Donya Mohajerani, 32, an insurance agent. She used to travel to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey, she said, but gave that up after the rial, Iran’s national currency, lost 50 percent of its value, doubling the price of airline tickets. | “They don’t want us to understand how the rest of the world is living,” said Donya Mohajerani, 32, an insurance agent. She used to travel to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey, she said, but gave that up after the rial, Iran’s national currency, lost 50 percent of its value, doubling the price of airline tickets. |
| “We are more and more isolated, what future do I face?” she asked. “My life has become a boring routine.” | “We are more and more isolated, what future do I face?” she asked. “My life has become a boring routine.” |
| Sociologists and health officials say that official statistics show a rise in social pathologies, including drug addiction and prostitution. | Sociologists and health officials say that official statistics show a rise in social pathologies, including drug addiction and prostitution. |
| Every day Gholam, 55, waits near the Imam Khomeini metro station in south Tehran and shouts “family court!” He says it never takes him long to fill up his shared taxi with couples on their way to get a divorce. | Every day Gholam, 55, waits near the Imam Khomeini metro station in south Tehran and shouts “family court!” He says it never takes him long to fill up his shared taxi with couples on their way to get a divorce. |
| “They sit in my car, fighting with each other over money,” Gholam said. The bad economy was destroying those families, he said. | |
| Gholam was amazed, he said, when he heard the departing president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, promoting larger families. “I could afford having four children,” he said. “But nowadays some can’t even pay my cab fare.” | Gholam was amazed, he said, when he heard the departing president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, promoting larger families. “I could afford having four children,” he said. “But nowadays some can’t even pay my cab fare.” |
| For women, even those who fully support Iran’s political system, the courts can be unjust, said Elham, 23. Her husband was an addict, one of the reasons women can apply for divorce in Iran. | For women, even those who fully support Iran’s political system, the courts can be unjust, said Elham, 23. Her husband was an addict, one of the reasons women can apply for divorce in Iran. |
| “First he lost his job and then he started selling everything he owned and he would viciously beat me, but the judges didn’t believe me,” she said. | “First he lost his job and then he started selling everything he owned and he would viciously beat me, but the judges didn’t believe me,” she said. |
| After a year of pleading she was granted a divorce. “There are many women like me, but none of the politicians will stand up and say, ‘We need to help them.’ ” | After a year of pleading she was granted a divorce. “There are many women like me, but none of the politicians will stand up and say, ‘We need to help them.’ ” |
| The disconnect forces many to live double lives, fearful of expressing an incorrect opinion, which could end up in being fired, or wearing the wrong clothes, which could result in a police reprimand or arrest. | The disconnect forces many to live double lives, fearful of expressing an incorrect opinion, which could end up in being fired, or wearing the wrong clothes, which could result in a police reprimand or arrest. |
| “At my work they asked me if I had seen the presidential debates,” said Mojghan, 35, who works at a government ministry. “I lied and said yes, because had I told the truth they would also ask me if I would vote, but I do not care for this election.” | “At my work they asked me if I had seen the presidential debates,” said Mojghan, 35, who works at a government ministry. “I lied and said yes, because had I told the truth they would also ask me if I would vote, but I do not care for this election.” |
| Mojghan said she felt hypocritical. “But if I tell the truth, I might lose my job,” she said. “My boss was fired after he didn’t follow their rules.” | Mojghan said she felt hypocritical. “But if I tell the truth, I might lose my job,” she said. “My boss was fired after he didn’t follow their rules.” |
| Fatemeh agreed. “I am tired of feeling like a hypocrite, or as if I am in a constant state of conspiracy. We live as if we are on a military base.” | Fatemeh agreed. “I am tired of feeling like a hypocrite, or as if I am in a constant state of conspiracy. We live as if we are on a military base.” |
| Mehdi, 27, a student of English literature, said Iran was increasingly becoming a cold society, where people are distrustful of one another. | |
| “We are turning into islands instead of a continent,” he said, adding that in buses, taxis and public places people have stopped talking to one another, or they view others as enemies. | “We are turning into islands instead of a continent,” he said, adding that in buses, taxis and public places people have stopped talking to one another, or they view others as enemies. |
| Iran’s leaders plea for patience and hope. In a recent speech, the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who often seems to be more kind than the hard-liners saying they speak for him, admitted that Iran is far from perfect. | Iran’s leaders plea for patience and hope. In a recent speech, the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who often seems to be more kind than the hard-liners saying they speak for him, admitted that Iran is far from perfect. |
| “Be patient,” he told followers last week. He said Iran had undergone huge changes since the revolution. Illiteracy had been reduced, the number of students had risen tenfold and even the most remote villages were now connected to the national grid. | “Be patient,” he told followers last week. He said Iran had undergone huge changes since the revolution. Illiteracy had been reduced, the number of students had risen tenfold and even the most remote villages were now connected to the national grid. |
| “We have a long way to go before we reach an ideal Islamic Iran,” Ayatollah Khamenei said, addressing Iran’s youth. “I am saying these things so that you realize that the enemies who want to create despair in our hearts are acting out of spite. All the signs show that we should remain hopeful.” | “We have a long way to go before we reach an ideal Islamic Iran,” Ayatollah Khamenei said, addressing Iran’s youth. “I am saying these things so that you realize that the enemies who want to create despair in our hearts are acting out of spite. All the signs show that we should remain hopeful.” |
Somaye Malekian contributed reporting. | Somaye Malekian contributed reporting. |