Iran General NewsKhatami warns 'organised movement' bent on disrupting Iran polls

Khatami warns ‘organised movement’ bent on disrupting Iran polls

-

AFP: Iranian President Mohammad Khatami on Thursday expressed concern that there was an “organised movement” attempting to disrupt the country’s keenly-fought presidential election. Khatami did not specify who was behind the attempts to interfere with Friday’s vote, but his comments appeared to refer to allegations of smear campaigns and physical harassment reported by candidates across the board. AFP

TEHRAN – Iranian President Mohammad Khatami on Thursday expressed concern that there was an “organised movement” attempting to disrupt the country’s keenly-fought presidential election.

Khatami did not specify who was behind the attempts to interfere with Friday’s vote, but his comments appeared to refer to allegations of smear campaigns and physical harassment reported by candidates across the board.

“I see with regret and worry from the reports that it seems there is an organised movement to hurt and to harm the healthy and the glorious process of the elections,” he said in a letter addressed to the interior and intelligence ministers, quoted by official media.

The infringements “include disruption of gatherings, beating people up, the distribution of illegal pamphlets, spreading of lies in order to ruin the reputation of candidates regardless of their political inclination,” he said.

While Khatami said he would not complain about accusations over his own government’s work, “I cannot stand still over the destructive trend that will hurt citizens’ rights and the safety of the elections.”

“I ask the two ministries and their affiliates to identify the elements of this organised movement and to confront them..,” said the outgoing president.

He said that he was sure that attempts at disruption as well as a string of bomb attacks that killed up to 10 people at the weekend would not have a negative affect on “people’s judgment and their will to take part in the election.”

Leading reform candidate Mustafa Moin was attacked by protesters after a campaign speech last week, while another top reformer, Behzad Nabavi, had his skull fractured by attackers who used tear-gas, chains and sticks.

The previous week hardline vigilantes assaulted Khatami’s own brother Mohammad Reza, who leads Iran’s main reformist party, during a campaign rally in Hamedan province for Moin.

Meanwhile, presidential election frontrunner Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has denounced the use of dirty tricks against him, saying his opponents appeared to be well-funded but refused to name names.

Latest news

Corruption Allegations Surround Tehran’s Friday Prayer Leader Amid Factional Struggles

Recent reports from Iran suggest that Kazem Sadighi, Tehran's Friday Prayer Imam, has allegedly seized a property valued at...

Housing Accounts for Half of Spending by Tehran Households

Official statistics on income and expenditures of households in Tehran show that urban households in the capital of Iran...

US, UK Ask UN To Prevent Iran from Sending Missiles to Houthis

Representatives of the United States and Britain at the United Nations Security Council meeting called for UN maritime inspection...

Medicine Scarce in Iranian Pharmacies, Abundant in Free Market

The distribution of medicine in Iran faces numerous challenges. Various governments promised to solve these issues at the beginning...

10% of Iran’s Gas Lost in Production and Transmission

The International Energy Agency, states in its annual report that Iran ranks third globally in methane emmissions. According to the...

Iran’s Oil Production Declines, OPEC Reports

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has reported a decrease in Iran's oil production for the second...

Must read

No Russian missiles expected for Iran this year-US

Reuters: Iran is not expected to receive an advanced...

2 Iranian dissidents abducted in capital

Washington Times: U.S. officials said yesterday that two members...

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you