(dpa) - Iran on Monday condemned the European Union's criticism over what the bloc called the undemocratic process of its parliamentary elections, ISNA news agency reported.
The EU on Friday called Iran's parliamentary elections "neither fair nor free" and regretted that more than half of reformist candidates close to former president Mohammad Khatami were refused permission to run by the senate-like Guardian Council for what was called lack of ideological commitment to the system.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said the EU statement was "hasty, politically motivated, opportunistic and hence unacceptable."
While referring to the presence of more than 4,000 candidates for 290 seats as a clear proof for the democratic process of the elections, the spokesman warned the EU to respect the election results rather than continue hostilities against Iran.