Iran's President Mohammad Khatami said in Tehran
Saturday that negotiations with the Guardians Council on the disqualification of hopefuls for the 7th Majlis reached a "dead end."
President Khatami issued the remark while talking to reporters at the mausoleum of the Father of the Islamic Revolution and Founder of the Islamic Republic, the late Imam Khomeini, in southern Tehran.
According to the official IRNA news agency, Khatami said, "This government will only hold free and competitive elections."
In the meantime, Iran's Interior Minister Abdolvahed Moussavi Lari also told reporters that the possibility of holding a free and competitive parliamentary election does not exist.
"We do not consider this election as legitimate," he said.
The elections, scheduled for February 20, were plunged into crisis when the Guardians Council had blacklisted 3,605 of 8,157 prospective hopefuls. Those barred included some 80 sitting MPs and reformist leaders. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
