News in Brief
Campaigns begin for parliamentary run-off
Iran’s Election Headquarters said on Wednesday that campaigns for the parliament’s run-off elections will begin from today (Thursday) and will last for one week.
Candidates running for seats in Iran’s Parliament will compete in second round of the elections slated for May 10.
A total of 90 candidates are going to run for the 45 remaining seats in the parliament. The spokesperson for Iran’s Election Headquarters, Mohsen Eslami, said on Sunday that the elections will be held in 22 constituencies across the country where the candidates had failed to receive an absolute majority (more than 50%) of votes cast during the first round which was held on March 1.
He noted that the upcoming run-off elections will be held with electronic voting machines in 22 districts across 15 provinces, including in the capital, Tehran.
The first round of the elections was held on March 1. On the same day, Iranians also voted to elect the members of the Assembly of Experts.
Over 130 IAEA inspectors allowed
in Iran
Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said on Wednesday that more than 130 inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are permitted to work in the country.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet session, Mohammad Eslami, said Iran has not barred any IAEA inspector from entering the country.
Currently, more than 130 IAEA inspectors are permitted to conduct inspections in Iran, he said, noting that the UN agency is regularly carrying out its inspection activities at Iran’s nuclear sites.
His comments came after spokesman of Iran’s atomic agency Behrouz Kamalvandi said on Tuesday that the head of the UN’s atomic watchdog will travel to Iran next week to attend a conference and hold talks with Iranian officials regarding the country’s nuclear program.
Rafael Grossi will visit Iran to attend the “the nuclear sciences and technologies of Iran” conference, which will be held from May 6 to May 8 in the central city of Isfahan.