Risking a nationalist backlash, the United States criticised Iran's parliamentary elections today as unfair because hardliners had banned reformist candidates.
"Candidates have been barred from participating in the elections in an attempt to limit the choice of the Iranian people for their government. These actions do not represent free and fair elections and are not consistent with international norms," State Department spokesman Mr Adam Ereli told reporters.
Previously when Washington has commented on elections in the Islamic republic, Iranians have perceived it as US meddling in their politics and it has undercut the reformists' popularity in the Islamic republic.