Source: RFE/RL

An Iranian presidential candidate has criticized comments by Iranian armed forces chief General Hassan Firuz Abadi pledging support to President Mahmud Ahmadinejad in the June presidential election.

Mehdi Karrubi, the head of the moderate Etemad Melli (National Trust) party, told Radio Farda that he has sent a letter protesting Abadi's comments.


Mehdi Karrubi

Abadi said earlier this week that those who think "they can introduce a new candidate and put an end to the Ahmadinejad [era]" must know "it will not happen."

Etemad Melli party spokesman Esmail Gerami Moghadam told Radio Farda that Karrubi believes interference by the armed forces in the election process is illegal and worrying.

A day after Karrubi's protest letter was issued, Iran's Mehr news agency published a statement by Abadi in which he said he will not interfere in the presidential election.

... Payvand News - 01/31/09 ... --