DATE=5/20/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=IRAN/ELECTIONS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-262603
BYLINE=LISA BRYANT
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Iran's conservative Guardian Council has
endorsed the results of February elections in Tehran,
certifying a sweep by moderates of 26 out of 30
parliamentary seats. From Cairo, Lisa Bryant reports
the council's decision Saturday ends weeks of
uncertainty.
TEXT: The Guardian Council's endorsement of the
Tehran election results translates into yet another
victory for reformist politicians aligned with Iranian
President Mohammed Khatami. These politicians are now
set to control Iran's new 290-seat parliament, which
is due to start work by the end of the month.
Topping the list of winners in Tehran's parliamentary
elections is newspaper publisher Mohammed Reza
Khatami, the president's brother. The council also
ratified the wins of other key Tehran leaders of
Iran's reform movement.
Meanwhile, the country's former president, Hashemi
Rafsanjani, was among only two conservatives to win a
parliamentary seat in the Iranian capital. Mr.
Rafsanjani was earlier placed at the bottom of the
list of 30 candidates, but the council changed the
order of finish and he ended up in 20th place.
The council annulled the results for two other Tehran
seats. These are expected to be re-contested at a
later, as yet unspecified date.
The council's decision ends speculation that the
supervisory body would refuse to endorse the results,
after it reported numerous cases of suspected fraud
and irregularity in the Tehran balloting. It ordered
several vote recounts and skipped two dates on which
it was to announce the results.
On Thursday, the council sent a letter to Iran's
supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, refusing to
endorse the vote because of the so-called
irregularities. But Mr. Khamenei ordered the council
to announce its final decision on the elections.
Earlier this month, moderate candidates also swept the
seats in a second round of parliamentary elections.
They now are assured of about 170 seats in the new
parliament. For their part, conservative candidates
will hold about 70 seats.
But conservatives in Iran still control key economic
and political institutions, such as the Revolutionary
Guards and the state radio and television. They also
control the Press Court, which recently closed 16
reformist publications. (Signed)
NEB/LB/ALW/JP
20-May-2000 09:57 AM EDT (20-May-2000 1357 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
