AFP: The United States on Monday slammed what it called the “higly restricted” electoral process in Iran, and seconded an EU determination that the vote was not free or fair.
WASHINGTON (AFP) The United States on Monday slammed what it called the “higly restricted” electoral process in Iran, and seconded an EU determination that the vote was not free or fair.
“It was a highly restricted process that did not allow the Iranian people real free and fair opportunity to express their views and certainly did not allow those who might have wished to run an opportunity to do so,” State Department spokesman Tom Casey said.
“The European Union has already put a statement noting that this was not free and fair elections,” he added, noting: “We said beforehand and continue to believe that they were not.”
Conservatives on Monday celebrated winning an expected three-quarter parliament majority in Iran’s elections, as the Islamic republic angrily denied EU accusations the polls were “neither fair nor free.”
With results from Tehran still to be confirmed, the interior ministry said conservatives would control 74 percent of the 290 seats in parliament, with the rest going to reformists and independents.
Conservatives who have been critical of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were set to have a reasonable representation, although it remains to be seen how this will affect the firebrand’s chances in 2009 presidential polls.
