Expats hope elections will improve country's global standing

Dubai: Iranian readers residing in the UAE are eagerly awaiting the outcome of yesterday's presidential elections.

While some do not support any particular candidate, they all have a very strong idea about what the future of their country should be like.

Iranian expatriate Bijorn Singhal, who works in the aviation sector and has been residing in the UAE for 21 years, said: "To me it doesn't really matter who wins, but the law needs to change... president [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad] is the first modern guy who can stand up against others, but I just hope he can bring about a change."

He went on to say while the elections won't affect him much, they would definitely affect his mother who hasn't been able to return to Iran for 30 years.

Singhal said: "We need more modern thinking, and we should throw the [extremist] laws out the window.

"Iran has a lot of natural resources and potential, so they should utilise it to increase the economy's revenue. They should also try to create friendly relations with other countries."

Babak Tehrani, an Iranian student at the American University of Sharjah (AUS), said: "I'm supporting Ahmadinejad as he is my personal preference, and will be better for the country in the long run."

He hoped the country would remain "successful in the nuclear issue and be able to get the energy they want".

Just like Singhal, Tehrani felt that the country needs to strengthen its ties with other countries and change its negative standing in the world.

Ali Reza M. Saniey, who works for Emirates airline and has been residing here for 22 years, said: "I'm supporting Mir Hussain Mousavi as he is a moderate and knows the country inside out. He has also promised to change all the bad things going on in the country."

Saniey added that some of the important areas needing reform are women's rights, human rights and freedom of speech. He said: "If other countries know that we have a moderate leader& we will be treated differently."

Syedeh Hassan, an Iranian-Indian student from AUS, said that she is supporting Mohammad Khatami since "Ahmadinejad didn't do much" and a majority of Iranians are against him. She said: "I don't care much about the elections because it doesn't affect me much, just like most other expatriates.

Yasmine A., who only recently left Iran to live in the UAE, is supporting Mousavi, and said: "I want a government that is honest with the citizens and encourages education and freedom of newspapers. People should vote because it will change all of our lives for the better, especially with Mousavi being in charge."