Iran Slams Western 'Interference' In Election Process

Iranian media are reporting that Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has criticized the United States and France for their comments about the vetting of would-be candidates in the country's June 14 presidential election. In remarks published on May 26, Salehi said Western officials should not make "unjustified comments" that amount to "interference" in Iran's internal affairs. On May 21, the unelected Guardians Council approved only eight of 686 would-be candidates seeking to run in the election to choose a successor to President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, who is completing his second term and is ineligible to run again. Afterward, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry criticized the "lack of transparency" in the vetting process, while French Foreign Ministry spokesman Phillipe Lelliot urged Iranian authorities to let the Iranian people choose their own leaders. Based on reporting by AFP and Far