TAKESTAN, Iran, 14 December 2006 — Conservative-reformist power struggles or foreign policy are far from the minds of the voters of Takestan, a dusty Iranian town whose inhabitants are more concerned with unemployment and the cost of living.

The streets of the town, whose name means “vineyard” and where grape-farming is the main industry, are underdeveloped and many people go about their business with little faith in political promises.

“Construction of houses, improvement of traffic infrastructure, green spaces, medical and educational centers” was how the town’s governor, Ali Sadeghi Niaraki, outlined the town’s priorities. With youth unemployment rates still high, joblessness and wages are among the main concerns of people ahead of municipal elections tomorrow — if they believe their votes can make a difference.

“Takestan now is developing metal projects ... farmers today do not have only one job,” the 48-year-old governor said. “The number of candidates for this round of municipality elections is 52, with a 20 percent growth in the number of registered contenders,” Niaraki proudly added.

The central street has been plastered by posters and banners of candidates from different groups including ultra-conservatives supporting the President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as well as the reformists. The oddly similar surnames of candidates — there are lots of Rahmanis and Rahman-Dousts on the posters — makes it look like a tribal battle rather than political elections.

“I am the mother of three young men at a rented home. They need jobs, they want to raise a family, but we simply cannot afford it,” said Moloud Mardi, 49.

“So, what is the difference who wins the city council when we see they will not do anything about the problems?” asked Moloud Mardi, 49. “Now that they need us to vote they promise many things, but we have not seen any action from them yet,” she said, vowing not to go near the polling stations.

A group of street-sellers on unbuilt land in downtown begged to differ. “The councils take care of people’s problems, they can build schools and streets. It does not matter whom we vote for in which elections. It is important to vote to make the country proud,” said Khosh Ghadam Eskandari, 34, mother of two teenagers and a young boy. She was faced by quick objections from a neighboring vendor who deals in second-hand teddy bears and dolls.

“I am not happy with my income. Their promises are just words. We only vote because we need to have the (electoral) stamp on our papers in order not to get into trouble,” complained Abu Bakr Rasti, 31. A Peugeot 405 limousine parked in the main street, plastered with the pictures of the sole female candidate for the town’s council, was one of the main attractions of the afternoon.

Maryam Taherkhani, 25, has become a municipality candidate because she believed “at least one woman should be sitting in the council among the other male members to take care of order and cleanliness.” “Building green spaces and movie theaters are the things that we need,” she said.