3rd March 2024

Meeting on Saturday, the Central Council of CODIR – the Committee for the Defence of the Iranian People’s Rights – made clear its response to the Iranian elections which took place last week.

“The regime is now completely overwhelmed with the multi-faceted crisis, economic, social, political crisis,” said Assistant Secretary Jamshid Ahmadi. “Twelve thousand candidates were disqualified from standing, amongst them almost all of pro-reform candidates. The opposition parties and all key sectors of the population had declared that this was not a real election and this is shown by a lowest turnout in any parliamentary elections in Iran in the past four decades.  The government has officially claimed that only 41% of eligible voters have cast their votes.  However, even this has been disputed as grossly exaggerated.” 

In the past 24 hours, CODIR has received verified reports from inside Iran that indicate that the number of spoiled ballots in a several cities significantly outnumber those votes properly cast, with the amount running into tens of thousands.

A spokesperson from the Democratic Organisation of Iranian Women drew attention to the role of the Women, Life, Freedom movement in exposing and confronting the undemocratic nature of the regime.

CODIR called for increased solidarity from the international trade union movement for the women’s movement, organised labour and progressive forces in Iran, whilst restating its continued opposition to western intervention.

“These latest developments expose the autocratic and undemocratic nature of the Iranian regime,” said CODIR General Secretary, Gawain Little. “However, the answer to that is not external intervention but to raise the voices of Iranian progressive forces. It is the Iranian people alone who have the right to determine the future of Iran.”

ENDS

Further information for Editors

Contact Information for CODIR:-

Postal Address:
B.M.CODIR
London
WC1N 3XX
UK
Website: www.codir.net
E-mail: codir_info@btinternet.com

Further information on CODIR

CODIR is the Committee for the Defence of the Iranian People’s Rights.  It has been established since 1981 and has consistently campaigned to expose human rights abuses in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

CODIR has worked closely with the trade union movement in the UK, the peace movement, all major political parties and Amnesty International to press the case for an end to torture in Iran’s prisons.  Major trade unions in Britain are affiliated to CODIR and support its campaign for peace, human and democratic rights, and social justice in Iran.

CODIR has published Iran Today, its quarterly journal, since 1981, explaining the latest developments in Iran and the most effective way that the British public opinion could demonstrate its solidarity with the people of Iran.

In recent years CODIR has worked closely with Stop the War Coalition and has been vocal against any form of foreign intervention in the internal affairs of the nation.