Riots in north of Iran after vote cancellations
TEHRAN, March 14 (AFP) -- Riots erupted in Fereydoon Kenar, northern Iran, after the partial cancellation of votes from the recent parliamentary elections, with protesters plundering the local cleric's house, the Jomhuri Eslami newspaper reported Sunday.
Police fired in the air to disperse Saturday's demonstration and some injuries were reported during the protests over the annulment of votes that could have tipped the result against the sitting conservative member of parliament, the paper said.
People set tyres on fire and blocked a bridge in the center of Fereydoon Kenar, and attacked buildings and public places, the hardline conservative daily added.
According to the newspaper, some "corrupt people" attacked the house of Fereydoon Kenar's Friday prayer leader and plundered it.
The annulled votes were cast in two ballot boxes where people from Babolsar, Band Pay and Fereydoon Kenar voted, Jomhuri Eslami said, adding that they could have favoured reformist candidate Hojatolah Roohi over incumbent conservative MP Meghdad Najafi.
The clashes occurred while the final results of the February 20 elections in this constituency were still to be announced, although religious conservatives have been confirmed as the overall winners of the controversial polls.
Critics said the reformists' control of parliament was broken as a result of the wholesale disqualification of their candidates by a conservative election watchdog, the Guardians Council.
The polling was marred by sporadic violence, with at least seven people killed in southern Iran after violent clashes followed the announcement of results.
No confirmation of the Jomhuri Eslami report was obtainable from independent or parliamentary sources.
Discussion Intel current and future Lakes & Rapids thread
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)
Discussion Speculation: Zen 4 (EPYC 4 "Genoa", Ryzen 7000, etc.)
Facebook
Twitter