A conservative Iranian MP has expressed doubt regarding next year’s parliamentary elections and accused government of "illegal" practices.
Set for March 2012, it is the first national vote since the controversial 2009 presidential elections that sparked mass protests due to allegations of vote fraud.
MP Nurollah Heydari told Khabar-on-line: “When a section of the government, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, acts against the law, how can we trust that it will carry out healthy elections?”
Heydari said that “distributing government handouts to certain individuals and regions” was one of the “illegal” actions of Ahmadinejad administration.
“Funds distributed as Norooz benefits and gifts from the office of the president at gatherings and galas with artists and actors are not adequately accounted for,” Heydari said.
The MP expressed suspicions about financial handouts given under the guise of “assistance to deprived regions and the development of sports facilities” and “government handouts to some MPs for so-called regional projects.”
Heydari maintained these actions are being carried out without Ahmedinejad’s knowledge Heydari added that he has provided evidence of such spendings to appropriate government offices for audit and inspection.
Parliament has been highly critical of the president’s chief of staff, Esfandiar Rahim Mashai, and many have accused him of corruption.
Ahmadinejad has ignored all accusations against Mashai and refused numerous calls for his removal as chief of staff.
