World Threats During June 2005

The most important events this month were related to Iran. Iran conducted presidential elections that, from the start, were manipulated in favor of the Islamic radicals. The Guardian Council, made up of radical, unelected clerics, approved the candidates. Voter turnout was low, as a form of protest against the government. According to my sources, turnout was almost certainly below 30%. One cannot, of course, expect an accurate voter turnout given the fact that Iran is a closed society, and the Iranian state-controlled press is not a reliable source.