Violence in Iran after decision on poll results

TEHERAN, APRIL 8. Two Iranian cities were shaken by unrest after a legislative body annulled the results of the parliamentary elections won by political reformers, Teheran press reports said today.

People in Damavand, 30 km northeast of Teheran, and khalkhal in northwestern Iran, reacted furiously to the decision on Thursday by the Guardian Council to annul the elections results in the two cities won by reformist candidates.

The Guardian Council is the body for reapproving any election results and is led by mainly traditional clerics close to the conservative opposition.

According to the official news agency Irna, people in Damavand - where the reformist, Mr. Mostafa Khanzadi, beat the former conservative MP, Mr. Ahmad Rassuli-Nejad condemned what they called ``disrespect'' for their votes and ``violation of the deputy-elect's rights''.

Also in the city of Khalkhal, there were protest demonstrations yesterday, with damage reportedly inflicted on various public properties, against the Guardian Council decision, but the unrest had calmed down by today.

Reformists gained a landslide victory in February's parliamentary elections, with members of the social democratic islamic participation party having won a majority of the total 290 seats.

Run-off elections are scheduled for April 21 and the new legislative period is to start in May or June, pending the approval of the Guardian Council.

- DPA

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Section  : International
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