AFP: Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday urged Iranians to avoid voting for candidates who are deemed too close to the Western enemies of the Islamic republic in parliamentary polls. TEHRAN (AFP) Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday urged Iranians to avoid voting for candidates who are deemed too close to the Western enemies of the Islamic republic in parliamentary polls.
“One factor is that whenever someone does not make a clear distinction between themselves and the puppets of the enemy, it shows that this is not the best candidate for the parliament,” Khamenei said.
“Whoever the enemy wants to be in the parliament, he should not go because he would implement the enemies’ will,” he added, in a speech broadcast on state television.
His comments are a possible attack ahead of Friday’s vote on certain reformist politicians who have been accused by their conservative foes of harbouring excessively close contacts with the West.
A recent meeting between the brother of reformist ex-president Mohammad Khatami, Mohammad Reza, and the German ambassador to Tehran has sparked an outcry amongst conservatives.
