Iran: The National Kargozaran-Sazandegi Party; political view, its leaders, branches, and participation in any election in Iran (1998)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 19 February 2002 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | IRN38586.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Iran: The National Kargozaran-Sazandegi Party; political view, its leaders, branches, and participation in any election in Iran (1998), 19 February 2002, IRN38586.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4be498.html [accessed 30 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance Webpage
Hezbe Kargozarane Sazandegi Iran or the Executives of Construction Party (ECP) was formed during the 5th Majlis elections campaign [1996 Parliamentary elections] and its members are senior aides of the former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. The ECP supports the policy of economic development and its members consider themselves the closest group to [former Iranian President] Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. They believe they are a moderate party (2001).
ECP is also called "Servants of Construction" (Iran Press Service 11 July 1999; BBC 20 May 1998; The Independent 25 May 1998; The Middle East Journal 1998, 23), "Executives of Construction Group of Iran" (Salaam 18 May 1997) and "Group 6" or "G-6" (Arzeshha 13 Apr. 1998; Salaam 18 May 1997; Ruz-e-Haftom 17 Apr 1997).
Iranian Internal Politics and Foreign Affairs analyst at the US Department of State, Stephen Fairbanks wrote in 1998 that the ECP was founded
... on 17 January 1996, when a hastily formed group of technocrats challenged the conservative monopoly of the JRM [Militant Clergy Association] and announced its support for Rafsanjani's policies, promising change and reform. Originally calling themselves Khedmatgozaran-e Sazandegi (Servants of Construction), the 16 founders comprised ten currently serving cabinet ministers, four of Rafsanjani's vice presidents, the mayor of Tehran, and the governor of the central bank. The ten ministers withdrew in view of the constitutional ban on executive interference in legislative elections, and the group's name eventually changed to Kargozaran-e Sazandegi (Executives of Construction) (The Middle East Journal 1998, 23).
According to Tehran daily newspaper Salaam, the founding of the ECP was "to take some action to guarantee the construction [reform] move which had already been initiated in the country" by nominating candidates for the 1996 Parliamentary Elections (18 May 1997). The newspaper also reported their other interests as including "countering 'the danger of monopolies' ... [and returning] a group of revolutionary people to the executive and legislative scene" (ibid.) Finally, Salaam notes that the 1996 electoral slogan for the ECP was "Islamic dignity under auspices of Velayat-e Faqih, continuation of construction with social justice and the development of Iran" (ibid.). According to Neil Shevlin of the University of Pennsylvania, Velayat-e Faqih refers to the theological foundation of the 1979 Revolution as codified by Ayatollah Khomeini (University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law 1998). Shevlin noted that Khomeini's book Velayat-e Faqih, "propounded the view that there should be no distinction between religion and government in an Islamic state" (ibid.).
According to an article in the Middle East Journal, the ECP
articulated few policies but the group's formation was clearly meant to stop the JRM -Nateq-Nuri juggernaut. The Kargozaran's unexpected successes, in the 8 March 1996 first round of the elections, shook the right wing. Nateq-Nuri only barely won a Tehran seat by edging out Rafsanjani's daughter Fa'ezeh Hashemi, a newcomer, who drew the women's vote and that of Rafsanjani supporters. In the provinces, most of the candidates recommended by the JRM did not go on to the second round ( 1998, 24).
With the election of President Mohammad Khatami in 1997, the ECP formed the right wing of his ruling coalition (Iran Press Service 11 July 1999). According to The Independent in 1998,
the new Servants of Construction party, which has been set up as [an] apolitical platform for Mr. Khatami in an obvious attempt to provide democratic credentials to all those who oppose the conservative 'Supreme Leader', Ali Khamenei. ... [They] mouth the same comfortable policies as Mr. Khatami; civil society and 'transparent' policies" ... (25 May 1998).
As reported by Agence France Presse, ECP General Secretary Karbaschi said in 1998 that his party supported "the more rational and insightful candidates who could improve or change the existing regulations and create a better condition to regain the rights of the people" (22 Oct. 1998). Reportedly, he also declared that the "most important objectives [for the ECP] ... are cultural, political and social development and establishing justice" (VIRI 12 August 1998). The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs identifies the group as the "best known" political organization among
the technocrats, who draw their support from Western-educated Iranians, the middle class, the professionals and the industrialists. They favor a market economy and closer trade and economic relations with the West, but they entertain more conservative social and cultural views than some of the other reformist elements. (Jan./Feb. 2000).
On their Website dated 2001, Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance lists ECP executive as including
The secretary general of the party is former Tehran Mayor Gholam Hussein Karbaschi. He conferred his authority to Majlis deputy from Kerman and prominent member of the ECP, Hussein Marashi, as the acting secretary general.
Ataollah Mohajerani (former minister of culture and Islamic guidance), Mohammad Hashemi (vice-president for executive affairs), Ms. Faezeh Hashemi (former MP from Tehran), Mohsen Nourbakhsh (governor of the Central Bank of Iran), Mohammad Ali Najafi (former vice-president and head of the planning and budget organization), Mostafa Hashemi-Taba (vice-president and head of the physical education organization) are among senior members of the ECP. In the 1997 presidential elections, the ECP was among the May 23 groups who supported the candidacy of Mohammad Khatami.
Sources from 1997 and 1998 also name Karbaschi (AFP 22 Oct. 1998; BBC 20 May 1998; DPA 23 May 1998; The Independent 25 May 1998;), Mohajerani (BBC 17 Oct. 1998; DPA 23 May 1998; The Independent 25 May 1998;), Hashemi (DPA 23 May 1998; The Independent 25 May 1998;)(DPA 23 May 1998), Nourbakhsh (DPA 23 May 1998; Zahedi 1998, 52), Marashi (Akhbar 17 June 1998), Najafi (Zahedi 1998, 52). A BBC report dated 4 May 2001 referred to Taba as "a founding member of the Executives for Construction Party." Faezeh Hashemi is also referred to as Fa'ezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani or simply Fa'ezeh Rafsanjani (Zahedi 1998, 52; MERIP Press Information Notes 16 February 2001; Reporters Sans Frontières 2000).
Other individuals identified as members of ECP in 1998 are Abdullah Nouri (RFE/RL 24 Nov. 1998; ibid. 22 Oct. 1998; Salaam 18 May 1998) and Morteza Alviri (The Middle East Journal 1998, 26). The National Council of Resistance in Iran also identifies Morteza Mohammad-Khan, and Bijan Namdar Zanganeh as "key members" in 1998 (Zahedi, 52). For more information on the National Council of Resistance of Iran see IRN38205.E of 5 December 2001.
The Karogozaran found success in the first round of the 1996 Parliamentary Elections where they shared 120 parliamentary seats with their coalition partner Imam's Line Groups (Salaam 18 May 1997). In 1998, the party had all of their candidates for the Assembly of Experts election rejected in the Council of Guardians' selection process (RFE/RL 9 Nov. 1998; ibid. 22 Oct. 1998).
The newspaper Salaam reported on 18 May 1997 that ECP had no satellite groups. The Research Directorate was unable to determine among the sources consulted whether the ECP had branches in 1998.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Agence France Presse. 22 Oct. 1998. Mehrdad Balali. "Iranian Factions Call for Truce on Eve of Crucial Vote." [NEXIS]
Akhbar [Tehran]. 17 June 1998. "Marashi: We Must Give Up Thinking in Absolute Terms."
Arzeshha [Tehran]. 13 April 1998. No. 64. "What is the View of the Executives of Construction on Guardianship of the Faqih?"
BBC. 4 May 2001. "Guide: How Iran Votes."
_____. 20 May 1998. "Iran Takes a Step Toward Multi-Party Democracy." newsid_97000/97811.stm> [Accessed 7 February 2002] Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA). 23 May 1998. BC Cycle. "Newly Founded Pro-Khatami Party Starts Activities in Iran." [NEXIS] The Independent [London]. 25 May 1998. Robert Fisk "Tehran Tries to Come in From the Cold." Iran Press Service [Tehran]. 11 July 1999. Safa Haeri. "Students Revolt Shows Islamic Regime's Inability Handling Crisis." Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance Webpage. 2001. Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) [Tehran, in English]. 15 October 1998. "Former Tehran Mayor Criticizes Candidates Screening." (BBC Summary of World Broadcasts 17 Oct. 1998) [NEXIS] The Middle East Journal [Washington]. 1998. Vol. 52 No. 2. Stephen C. Fairbanks. "Theocracy Versus Democracy: Iran Considers Political Parties." MERIP Press Information Notes. 16 Feb 2001. PIN 48. Persheng Vaziri. "Caught in the Middle: Women and Press Freedom in Iran." Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) [Prague]. 11 October 1999. "Vol.2, No. 40. "New Laws and Candidates and Parliament's Future." _____. 24 November 1998. Iran Report. Vol. 1, No. 2. "New Party Announced.'" _____. 9 November 1998. Iran Report Vol. 1, No. 1. "A Defining Election in Iran?" _____. 22 Oct, 1998. William Samii. "Iran: Voters Electing Assembly of Experts Lack Choice." Reporters Sans Frontières. 2000. "2000 Annual Report- Middle East- Iran." Ruz-e-Haftom (Sari, Iran). 17 April 1997. "Highlights of an Interview with Ataollah Mohajerani, Vice-President for Legal Affairs and Memebr of the Executive of Construction." Salaam (Tehran). 18 May 1997. "Executives of Construction Group." Strategic Analysis [New Dehli]. June 2000. Vol. 24, No. 3 Shah Alam. "Conservatives, Liberals and the Struggle Over Iranian Politics." Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran (VIRI) [Tehran in Persian]. 12 August 1998. "President Addresses Servants of Construction on Power, Parties, Politics." (BBC Summary of World Reports. 14 Aug. 1998) [NEXIS] University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law [Philadelphia]. January/February 2000. Vol.1, No. 2. Neil Shevlin. "Velayat E Faqih in the Constitution of Iran: the Implementation of Theocracy." Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Vol. 19 No.1. George W. Cave and Dr. John P. Nordin. "The February Majlis Elections in Iran – Two Views." Zahedi, Sanabargh. 1998. "The Three Factions of the Clerical Regime." in The Myth of Moderation. Edited by the National Council of Resistance of Iran. Paris: National Council of Resistance of Iran. Additional Sources Consulted Internet sites including BBC Brief on Iran CIA Factbook Elections and Electoral Systems by Country Freedom House Net Iran Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Iran Report Strategic Analysis Virtual Iran Search engines Google.com
