Iran’s Friday Prayers: Elections and universities

Prominent sermonizers in Iran's Friday prayers, all from the Principlist camp, did not hesitate to warn about the Reformist comeback, whether in the parliament or the universities.

The Students' Day anniversary, held in a vibrant mood across the country on December 7, had particularly raised ire among the Friday prayers leader.

In Tehran, Kazem Seddiqi, who serves in the role on a rotary basis, expressed concern that universities, has turned into a stage of political maneuvers by those who instigated the 2009 'sedition'. In Yasuj, southwestern Iran, Friday prayers' leader Ali-Asghar Hosseini lamented that some speakers across universities did not address US' crimes against the Iranian nation.

Abdolnabi Namazi, the sermonizer in Kashan, was stronger in his criticism and slammed the December 7 events in universities. "Today, some university tribunes are held by figures who have been directly or indirectly active in the 2009 sedition," he said. "I am asking the National Security Council to conclude the 2009 sedition case with help from the Judiciary."

Tehran's Friday prayers' leader Seddiqi referred to critiques of the Guardian Council's qualification procedure, a mechanism mainly used against Reformist candidates to bar them from participation in elections. "West-lovers have been against this foundation since day one despite [the common procedure in] the Western civilization" he said. "There is no country where people can nominate for presidency and the parliament without any supervision."

In Yasuj, Ali-Asghar Hosseini also addressed the upcoming elections, calling it "a key foundation of the Revolution and the establishment." Hosseini warned about "sworn enemies [who] intend to undermine the elections," adding that "their mischievous plot will neutralized with Divine help."

Friday prayers leaders also did forget about 'infiltration'. Ahmad Khatami, one from the five 'interim' Friday prayers' leaders of Tehran, who was serving as sermonizer in Rafsanjan, Kerman Province this week, devoted a large part of his speech to the issue. "Any [political] current seeking to alleviate hatred towards the US is an infiltrator," he said. "Any current that intends to weaken religious fervor of the people, in ways such as holding music concerts, is an infiltrator."