By IANS
Tehran : Iran Monday denounced criticism of its recent parliamentary elections by the European Union (EU) as “hasty, biased and unacceptable”.
“While the final and official results of Iran’s 8th Majlis election were yet to be declared by Iranian officials, it is surprising that the EU managed to assess the election and release a statement about it,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini was quoted by IRNA as saying.
The EU Friday in a statement said Iran’s parliamentary elections were “neither fair nor free”. It said a large number of reformist candidates were refused permission to contest in the elections on grounds that they lacked ideological commitment.
Condemning the comments, Hosseini said they were “politically motivated.”
“The 8th Majlis elections were conducted in peaceful atmosphere based on the country’s constitution and respective laws with massive turnout of all Iranians,” Hosseini said.
Ultra-conservatives, who support President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, swept the parliamentary and Experts Committee elections held last Friday.