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Iran's Rouhani warns military not to intervene in elections

Just three months before Iran’s presidential election and with conservative figures announcing their candidacy, President Hassan Rouhani warned military institutions against interfering in the vote.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks at a news conference near the United Nations General Assembly in the Manhattan borough of New York, U.S., September 22, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson  - RTSP0SP

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a speech to election officials that he wants to ensure a smooth presidential election in May and warned off any potential government groups that might attempt to rig the vote in their favor.

“We all have to be careful that government resources are not used in favor of one individual or party,” Rouhani told the officials Feb. 25. “This is a sin. By government, I mean the executive, the judiciary, the armed forces. I mean all the organizations that use public funds. No one has a right to use a public platform, public media, newspaper or website that uses public funds in the election.”

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