Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran
Encyclopedia
The Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran , usually shortened to Abadgaran (آبادگران), is an alliance of some right-wing Iran
ian political parties and organizations. The alliance, mostly active in Tehran
, won almost all of Tehran's seats in the Iranian Majlis election of 2004
and the Iranian City and Village Councils elections, 2003
. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former mayor of Tehran (who is chosen by Tehran's City Council) and now President of Iran
, is considered one of the main figures in the alliance.
According to the Columbia World Dictionary of Islamism, the Abadgaran "seems to have been formed in 2003 and is made up broadly of figures under the age of fifty, who are non-clerics". Many of their figures are or were members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and their affiliates. The Party is reportedly heavily supported by the Revolutionary Guards and is widely viewed as a political front for the organization.
Political historian Ervand Abrahamian credits the victory of Abadgaran and other conservatives in the 2003, 2004, and 2005 elections to the conservatives' retention of their core base of 25% of the voting population, their recruiting of war veteran candidates, their wooing of independents using the issue of national security, and most of all "because large numbers of women, college students, and other members of the salaried middle class" who make up the reformists' base of support "stayed home". Turnout in the 2004 Majlis election fell below 51%, for example.
The party subscribes to Iranian neoconservativism, also known as neo-fundamentalism.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian political parties and organizations. The alliance, mostly active in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, won almost all of Tehran's seats in the Iranian Majlis election of 2004
Iranian Majlis election, 2004
The Iranian parliamentary elections of February 20 and May 7, 2004 were a victory for Islamic conservatives over the reformist parties. Assisting the conservative victory was the disqualification of about 2500 reformist candidates earlier in January.-Background:...
and the Iranian City and Village Councils elections, 2003
Iranian City and Village Councils elections, 2003
Iranian City and Village Councils elections, 2003 took place in February, 2003, the second time local elections had taken place since being introduced in 1999 as part of President Khatami's concept of a civil society at the grassroots level. 905 city councils and 34,205 village councils were up for...
. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former mayor of Tehran (who is chosen by Tehran's City Council) and now President of Iran
President of Iran
The President of Iran is the highest popularly elected official in, and the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Iran; although subordinate to the Supreme Leader of Iran, who functions as the country's head of state...
, is considered one of the main figures in the alliance.
According to the Columbia World Dictionary of Islamism, the Abadgaran "seems to have been formed in 2003 and is made up broadly of figures under the age of fifty, who are non-clerics". Many of their figures are or were members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and their affiliates. The Party is reportedly heavily supported by the Revolutionary Guards and is widely viewed as a political front for the organization.
Political historian Ervand Abrahamian credits the victory of Abadgaran and other conservatives in the 2003, 2004, and 2005 elections to the conservatives' retention of their core base of 25% of the voting population, their recruiting of war veteran candidates, their wooing of independents using the issue of national security, and most of all "because large numbers of women, college students, and other members of the salaried middle class" who make up the reformists' base of support "stayed home". Turnout in the 2004 Majlis election fell below 51%, for example.
The party subscribes to Iranian neoconservativism, also known as neo-fundamentalism.
Deputy leaders
- Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel (2003-2004)
- Hossein Saffar Harandi (2004-2007)
- Esfandiar Rahim Mashai (2007-2011)
- Nasrin SoltankhahNasrin SoltankhahNasrin Soltankhan is an Iranian politician who presently holds positions in both the local and the executive branch of the Iranian government.-Cabinet position:...
(2011-present)
External links
- www.abadgaran.ir, Abadgaran's website