Rouhani opponent accuses leader of electoral fraud, interference

TEHRAN, Iran (Kurdistan24) – Defeated hardline candidate Ebrahim Raisi and his supporters have accused the Iranian President of electoral fraud, calling on the judiciary and the election watchdog to investigate.

Complaints of irregularities in the May 19 election have since been raised, stoking tensions following Raisi’s loss in the bitterly contested vote against incumbent Hassan Rouhani.

“Tampering with the numbers of people’s participation is inappropriate,” Raisi was quoted as saying.

“Not sending ballots to centers where the government’s opponent has a chance of getting votes is very inappropriate,” he added.

Raisi, a cleric who served on the judiciary for many years, made his allegations of voter fraud to a gathering of supporters on Sunday night, according to the government-linked Fars News Agency.

He was also quoted as saying Rouhani had inappropriately used TV, newspapers, and government offices for campaign purposes.

The official tally gave the President 57 percent of the vote, versus only 38.5 percent for Raisi making it unlikely Rouhani’s victory could be overturned. However, the President’s opponents are trying to minimize the win.

Raisi and his supporters are putting up a fight against Rouhani, restricting the latter’s campaign promises to increase social freedom, improve human rights, and open up the country to Western investment.

Hardliner Sadegh Larijani, head of the judiciary, also warned Rouhani against freeing former presidential challengers Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi.

The two men have been under house arrest since 2011 for “inciting protests” during the colloquially-termed “Arab Spring.”

“Who are you to break the house arrests?” Larijani asked, according to Mizan, the judiciary’s news site.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany