Iranian election brings skepticism and hope

The Iranian presidential election ended with a surprise win by moderate candidate Hasan Rowhani.

I hope Hasan Rowhani has a superior security detail because all the hard-liners won’t like him. If Iran is going to join the rest of the world, this would be the guy to do it. Come on, Iran, join us!

Kathleen O’Regan

People who know how Iran works are aware that the election is a sham. Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme leader, hand-picks the president. This time, he’s just putting on the puppet show to make people think they elected Rowhani on their own. It’s almost like there could be a script for news outlets to go by, hour by hour, announcing the results while the votes get dumped into incinerators.

William Travis

Rowhani was the most moderate of the candidates running. He may not be an ideal Western liberal, but he is still the best of the lot.

Darwin Akbar

Viewing Rowhani as a “reformist” is just an illusion created by the same mullahs, the Islamic clergy, who realize that the days of their dictatorship are coming to an end because they have their backs against the wall.

They are trying to cling to power and give false hope to the people of Iran by painting a donkey and selling it as a zebra.

Hamid Rahgozar

Change will come to Iran eventually. I’ve met Iranians still living there. They’re good people. Religious zealots have no business running any country: Christian, Jewish or Muslim. It’s time to bump them all from power.

William Moore

At the moment, Rowhani seems willing to tone down the rhetoric against the United States. At least he is not so apt to pound on the war drums.

I’m not saying Iran all of a sudden has become a great place, but it does ease tensions a tad bit.

George Riley