Iranian Spox lashes out at US comments on presidential polls

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has criticized the United States regarding its stance on Iran's presidential elections.

Kanaani condemned US "interference" in Iran's domestic affairs after US Deputy Special Envoy for Iran Abram Paley remarked that Friday's election was not expected to change "Iran's direction," Caliber.Az reports, citing Iranian media.

"As the Iranian regime prepares for its presidential elections, the US unfortunately does not expect free and fair elections or fundamental change in Iran's direction," Paley said in a series of posts on his X account on Wednesday.

Kanaani considered these statements an exaggeration and an obvious interference in Iran's internal affairs.

"We condemn it," he stated.

He added that such "worthless statements" from US authorities would not deter the Iranian people, who would respond to these interventionist remarks with a strong turnout in the presidential election.

Context of Iran-US enmity and sanctions

The criticism from Kanaani comes amid long-standing enmity between Iran and the United States. Relations between the two countries have been strained since the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which saw the overthrow of the US-backed Shah and the establishment of the Islamic Republic. The US has imposed a series of economic sanctions on Iran over the years, primarily in response to concerns over Iran's nuclear program, human rights record, and support for militant groups. These sanctions have severely impacted the Iranian economy and continue to be a major point of contention in US-Iran relations.