DUBAI, June 28. /TASS/. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has called statements by the US deputy special envoy for Iran, Abram Paley, an attempt to interfere in the elections and said that the Iranian people will respond to them with active participation in voting.
"Statements by the US deputy special envoy for Iran regarding the presidential elections in our country are lies and constitute a clear attempt to interfere," Kanaani wrote on his social media X page. US officials will not stop making useless statements, so "the Iranian people will firmly respond to them by actively participating in the elections," he noted.
According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, the world has already felt the fruits of US democracy, which has resulted in wars, bloodshed and terrorism.
On June 26, Paley said that in light of Iran's presidential election, the US had no hope for a fair and free election or a fundamental change in the country's policy. He argued that the Iranian people were allegedly deprived of most freedoms and needed elements of democracy.
Iran is holding an early presidential election in connection with the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in an air crash on May 19. Of the six politicians initially approved by the Iranian Constitutional Guardians Council four have remained in the presidential race. Vice-President Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi announced on June 26 that he was withdrawing from the race in favor of the conservatives. Tehran’s mayor, Alireza Zakani followed suit on June 27. He expressed support for the two main candidates from the conservative wing, Bagher Ghalibaf and Saeed Jalili. The two other contenders for the presidency are Mostafa Pourmohammadi, a conservative and former head of the interior and justice ministries, and Massoud Pezeshkian, the sole candidate from the reformist camp.