Baku, Azerbaijan, May 30
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iranian president has warned local officials to stay neutral in the upcoming elections of parliament and Assembly of Experts which is scheduled for February 2016.
Rouhani said that the government will not support any political group in the elections and will only implement the law.
It doesn't mean that other powerful bodies have right to intervene in the elections, he underlined.
Rouhani warned that Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps(IRGC), army as well as representatives of the Supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and governors should avoid moves which may create doubts about their neutral stances towards the candidates.
The Iranian president made the remarks during a meeting with the governors in Tehran on May 30, the State IRINN TV reported.
Rouhani underlined that the president will act as the executor of the constitution in the upcoming elections. He further called for fairness and equal opportunity for all in the election.
Rouhani further said that all candidates should be equally treated with regards to governmental facilities and money as well as public spaces, adding that nobody should benefit from such opportunities more than the other.
He also suggested more transparency during the election process to eliminate the concerns.
Rouhani said that transparent plastic ballot boxes should be used and cameras should be installed for monitoring the vote count process.
It should be noted that the Islamic Republic experienced a disputed election in 2009, while Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected president of Iran for the second term, which resulted in massive protests across Iran, in particular in Tehran. Many people were arrested.
Rouhani further said that no political party in the country can be removed from the political scene.
He underlined that Iran is not similar to North Korea, where people live as troops in garrison, adding in the Islamic Republic people are free to speak and express their thoughts.