Iran votes today, and for all its faults, the Islamic Republic has had at least some claim of being a democracy on paper. However, reality is increasingly having trouble keeping up with the theory of Iranian democracy. Candidates have always been vetted for moral/ideological competence, but such has also become a political litmus test and generally only conservative/reactionary candidates have been allowed to actually run by the Supreme Council. As communism has shown, its not much of a democracy if the elitist authority selects the candidates. (Of course we can also lament state of 2 Party system and money-politics in US). The demonstrations after the 2009 elections were a watershed for Iran even though such protests have not yet run their course in terms of real change. The opposition apparently had evidence of significant irregularities, and whether true or not, enough people felt cheated to demonstrate and lose complete confidence in “Iranian democracy.” Democracy does not translate to a free society or one truly receptive of open debate. Nonetheless, it does convey the sense of legitimacy by the rule of a majority. In these elections, the vetting appears even more designed to stack the deck for 2 camps of conservatives competing for political and economic power. Sanctions against Iran are starting to bite, but no real debate about causes and options. The main opposition is boycotting. The real outcome of elections may be be so much who wins but who does and does not vote. Will we though know even that result as the Tehran establishment also understand that this is the real test. By Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey – Follow @MuhamedSacirbey Facebook = Become a Fan at “Diplomatically Incorrect” Twitter – Follow us at DiplomaticallyX Latest current news events articles on Iran including - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/aftershocks-iran-pakistan-afghanistan-summit/45727 Also video for blogs at our online video platform www.diplomaticallyincorrect.org