17/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - The parliamentary elections held in Iran on 14 March which consolidated the domination of the conservative allies of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were “neither free nor fair”, says the EU. In a statement published on 15 March, the Slovenian Presidency of the EU, speaking on behalf of all 27 member states, said it was disappointed that more than a third of prospective candidates had been prevented from standing. “These exclusions prevented the Iranian people from being able to choose freely amongst the full range of political views in their country and represent a clear violation of the international norms. As a result, the election was neither fair nor free”, the Presidency said. Iran should make a commitment that, in future elections, the people of Iran will be able to choose from the full range of candidates, the Presidency goes on. “The Iranian people deserve a genuine democratic choice about the future of their country,” it concludes. (H.B.)