Iran May Defer Runoff Parliamentary Election over Coronavirus: Spokesman
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The spokesperson for Iran’s administration raised the possibility of postponing a runoff vote for the parliamentary seats until summer due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
Speaking to Tasnim on Tuesday, Ali Rabiee said the runoff parliamentary elections slated for April 17 might be delayed until the Iranian month of Shahrivar (August 22 – September 21) over concerns about the spread of coronavirus.
“If the coronavirus conditions in the country remain in the same way until April 17, the date of the second round of (parliamentary) elections in the regions subject to runoff will be delayed. For example, it might be postponed until Shahrivar,” he added.
Asked about Fatemeh Rahbar, a newly elected member of the Parliament who has died from coronavirus, Rabiee said her replacement should be elected in the next polls, which would be simultaneous with the presidential election in 2021.
The Iranian Health Ministry said on Monday that since the outbreak of the new coronavirus in the country, 2,394 patients have completely recovered from the infectious disease.
The total number of coronavirus cases in the country has increased by 595, reaching 7,161.
Authorities say the death toll from the new coronavirus epidemic in Iran has risen to 237.