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2.5​ ​Record low turnout in Iran elections, hardliners sweep to power
Iranian so-called hardline MPs have swept to power in the February 20 election. Accordingly, voter turnout stood at 42.6%, a record low since elections commenced under the current clerical Islamic Republic system, which was swept to power in 1979.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described Friday’s turnout as stunning, as he said the country’s enemies had tried to put people off voting by exaggerating the expanding coronavirus outbreak.
“This negative propaganda about the virus began a couple of months ago and grew larger ahead of the election,” he said, according to his official website Khamenei.ir.
“Their media did not miss the tiniest opportunity for dissuading Iranian voters and resorting to the excuse of disease and the virus.”
That virus, which Khamenei and other clerics have chosen to play down, spooked people from all factions from coming out to vote, as the death toll by February 23 stood at eight people.
Another 43 confirmed cases of those contracting the disease were also confirmed, but the real figure is expected to be more than four times that amount, as many sick people have been misdiagnosed by medical staff across the country.
Over the first two working days of the Iranian week, (Saturday and Sunday), schools, seminaries, universities and cinemas have all been told to close their doors. Tehran University students have also been told to vacate their dormitories across the city and return home until further notice as decontamination procedures are carried out.
Despite the poor turnout, as expected, candidates close to the military complex in the country were reported to have won 30 seats in the capital.
Former Tehran mayor and reformed Islamic Revolutionary Guards Commander Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf topped the list in Tehran and is now in line to take over the mantle of Parliament Speaker.
The latest elections in Iran have been marred by complaints by thousands of mostly more liberal potential candidates that their applications were rejected. Previous MPs, including people representing families with revolutionary bona fide, were dismissed from this round, including Ali Mottahari.
2.6​ ​Iran accuses US of “governmental terrorism” after threat to kill Soleimani’s successor
A US threat to kill the successor to Iran’s Major General Qasem Soleimani is a sign of “America’s targeted and governmental terrorism”, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on January 24. Soleimani, widely regarded as Iran’s second most powerful official, was assassinated with a drone missile strike at Baghdad airport on the orders of
10​ IRAN Country Report​ March 2020 www.intellinews.com