Iran: Country records lowest turnout in parliamentary election with 42 per cent

W/S Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli approaching podium, Tehran
W/S Rahmani Fazli speaking
SOT, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Iranian Interior Minister (Farsi): "57,918,159 people were eligible to vote and this number was determined through coordination and agreement with Iran's National Organization for Civil Registration and Statistical Centre of Iran. It is necessary to know that all of them are those who live in Iran and they are in Iran, unlike the Presidential election that Iranians outside the country can vote. But in parliamentary elections, only those who live in Iran [are allowed to vote]."
W/S Rahmani Fazli speaking *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Iranian Interior Minister (Farsi): "24,512,404 people voted. 48 per cent were women and 52 per cent men. In fact, 42.57 per cent is the participation rate for this election."
W/S Rahmani Fazli speaking *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Iranian Interior Minister (Farsi): "We held this election while we were experiencing different events and accidents in our country, such as inappropriate climatic conditions, coronavirus and other political issues like the crash of that plane and the event of November and January [protests]. In our view, despite the current condition, the level of people's participation and the number of votes are completely acceptable."
W/S Iran’s officials *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Iranian Interior Minister (Farsi): "The level of turnout of Tehran province is 2,539,763 people, which means 26.2 per cent. That was Tehran province, and regarding the Tehran's suburban area which includes Rey, Shemiranat and Pardis, the number is 1,841,891 people, equal to 25.4 per cent."
W/S Rahmani Fazli speaking *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Iranian Interior Minister (Farsi): "The highest turnout was in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province and the lowest was Tehran. 71 per cent is Kohgiluye and Boyer-Ahmad."
W/S Rahmani Fazli speaking
M/S Rahmani Fazli leaving
SCRIPT
Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli blamed the record low turnout in the recent parliamentary election on weather, fear of coronavirus, and downing of Ukrainian airliner among other things in a press conference in Tehran on Sunday.
"24,512,404 people voted. 48 per cent were women and 52 per cent men. In fact, 42.57 per cent is the participation rate for this election," announced the interior minister as the Islamic republic recorded its lowest participation rate in an election since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
"We held this election while we were experiencing different events and accidents in our country, such as inappropriate climatic conditions, coronavirus and other political issues like the crash of that plane and the event of November and January [protests]. In our view, despite the current condition, the level of people's participation and the number of votes are completely acceptable," he added.
Hardliners are set to hold the majority in the parliament amid the low turnout.