VOA标准英语2013--Little Real Choice for Iranians in Presidential Poll

（单词翻译）

Little Real Choice for Iranians in Presidential Poll

Iran’s presidential candidates have appeared in several debates. Controls on who can run have severely¹ limited the scope of opinions on key issues, however, such as Iran’s nuclear program and its negotiations² with the West.  

Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili advocates continuing the ‘no compromise’ policy. Hassan Rowhani, a former negotiator, might try to take a slightly softer approach.

But neither candidate would really make much difference on the nuclear issue, said Mark Fitzpatrick at London’s International Institute for Strategic Studies.

“I think it really depends on what the views of the Supreme³ Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are. If he wants to make a breakthrough, then it almost doesn’t matter who the president is. But I don’t really expect much in the way of a breakthrough,” said Fitzpatrick.

Ayatollah Khamenei said he does not endorse⁴ any candidate. Those he might have opposed were barred from running, though, including all reformists and all women. That means Iranians won’t have a real choice in this election, according to the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Iran Human Rights, Ahmed Shaheed.  

“The basic conditions for free and fair elections are not existent in Iran, and that is a serious concern. Under international law you cannot disqualify a candidate for elections unless you used criteria⁵ that were reasonable, objective and transparent,” said Shaheed.

Among those disqualified was the relatively⁶ liberal former Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Experts say a key concern of ordinary Iranians is the economy, which has been devastated⁷ by international sanctions designed to get flexibility⁸ in the nuclear negotiations. But economist⁹ and oil market analyst¹⁰ Leo Drollas said some key segments of Iranian society may not be overly concerned.

“There are certain segments, of course, of the Iranian society, mainly associated with the Ayatollahs and the Revolutionary Guards, and certain favored merchants, bazaaris, etcetera, who have done very well out of this situation. But the great majority of people are suffering, indeed, and nothing is likely to change,” said Drollas.

There had been hope that Iran’s election would lead to an easing of tensions and sanctions. Some analysts¹¹ say the sanctions have hardened Iran's position, however, and they warn that continuing deadlock¹² on the nuclear issue, as Iran builds its capabilities¹³, could lead to a military confrontation¹⁴.