Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 9
By Khalid Kazimov - Trend:
The office of the former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has dismissed reports regarding his remarks about the outcome of the upcoming parliamentary election to be held on February 26.
"The reports quoting former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are sheer lie and the former president has not made any remarks regarding the election," ISNA news agency quoted an official at former president's office.
Earlier on February 7, Payesh news website reported that Ahmadinejad has predicted "a heavy defeat" to the conservatives at the upcoming parliamentary election in Iran.
"A group of people describing themselves as conservatives have created a circle expecting the nation to cast votes in their favor, while only seven or eight candidates out of the list comprising of 30 nominees will be elected as parliamentarians," Payesh news website quoted Ahmadinejad as saying at the recent meeting with his supporters.
Questioning the legitimacy of candidates proposed by the conservatives, Ahmadinejad allegedly added that the list prepared by conservatives to introduce candidates for the parliamentary election lacks charismatic figures, Payesh claimed.
"They get together and prepare a list believing that voters will cast ballots in their favor," Payesh quoted him as mocking the conservatives.
Payesh further reported that Ahmadinejad had accused the conservatives of lacking a proper plan and slogan to compete in the election.
Over the past weeks Iranian officials have made striking remarks regarding the upcoming parliamentary election.
While Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has urged people to prevent anti-revolutionary and pro-US figures from assuming seats in the parliament, President Hassan Rouhani has criticized the country's vetting body, the Guardian Council, for disqualifying a large number of reformist candidates.
Over the past few months and ahead of the election, Ali Khamenei has constantly warned against the "infiltration" of the country's enemies as well as the US in Iran.