Iranian Conservatives and Reformists are running for 290 seats in the Iranian parliamentary elections to be held on February 26. Overall, over 12,000 citizens had submitted their candidacies, but based on the final results, only 6,200 candidates were approved, of which 586 are women.

As Iranologist Gohar Iskandaryan mentioned during a press conference in the hall of “Armenpress”, Armenian candidates will be in a heated struggle as well. In the beginning, 9 candidates were running for the two seats for Armenians, but later it became clear that one of the candidates had declared a self-recusal.

“I believe Zhorzhik Abrahamyan has serious chances of winning in the southern part of the country. He has been a deputy and has worked effectively, and the community remembers him for his draft laws that became laws. Karen Khanlarian has chances of winning in the north. He is currently a deputy in the Mejlis and works quite effectively. The Armenian community is content with his activities. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun has also endorsed him,” Gohar Iskandaryan said. The Iranologist mentioned that there is an interesting fact in the parliamentary elections, and that is the fact that the Reformists’ positions became quite stronger after the sanctions against Iran were lifted.

“The public is content with the Reformists’ policies, but the Conservatives don’t want to cede. This is why the Ministry of Internal Affairs has reduced the number of Reformists and has given more room for the Conservatives in the elections. Even if the elections are fair and transparent, the Conservatives will still have more seats in the Mejlis. This is being done in order to ensure the balance,” Gohar Iskandaryan said, noting that the country’s leadership is in the hands of moderate Conservatives, but each of the leaders’ draft laws will eventually need to be approved in the Mejlis where there will mainly be Conservatives. The president and the spiritual leader of Iran have already called on the people to be active during the elections.