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Iran accuses foreign media of using virus to ‘discourage’ voters
TEHRAN, Feb 23, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on
Sunday accused foreign media of trying to use a deadly outbreak of
coronavirus in Iran to “discourage” people from voting in a general election.
“This negative propaganda began a few months ago and grew larger
approaching the election and in the past two days, under the pretext of an
illness and a virus, their media did not miss the slightest opportunity to
discourage people from voting,” said Khamenei.
“(Our enemies) are even opposed to any election by the Iranian people,” the
leader was quoted as saying on his official website.
Iranians voted in a parliamentary election on Friday, two days after an
outbreak of the new coronavirus emerged in the country.
A low turnout had already been expected after a conservative-dominated
electoral watchdog disqualified thousands of candidates, most of them
moderates and reformists.
The COVID-19 outbreak has claimed the lives of five people in the Islamic
republic since Wednesday.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1313 hrs