US Says Iranians Should be Free to Choose Own Leaders

WASHINGTON - The Biden administration has responded to Iran's mass disqualification of candidates for its upcoming presidential election by saying Iranians should be free to choose their own leaders.

The White House statement coincides with sharp criticism of Iran’s electoral system from Iranian rights activists and U.S. conservatives as neither free nor fair. Iran's Guardian Council, which vets election candidates, on Tuesday approved a final list of seven contenders for the June 18 vote to replace outgoing two-term President Hassan Rouhani. The 12-member council of jurists and clerics overseen by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei disqualified 583 other people who applied to run in the election, leaving only the seven conservative Khamenei loyalists, of whom judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi is the most prominent. Asked by VOA Persian for a reaction to the disqualifications, a White House National Security Council spokesperson said, "Iranians should be allowed to exercise their right to choose their own leaders and freely participate in the political process, including during elections."