US Unable to Influence Iranian Voters

Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan said the United States is under an illusion if it assumes that it can influence the outcome of the forthcoming presidential election in Iran, stressing that the Islamic Republic pursues a well-established and principled approach toward Washington.

"If the Americans think they can influence Iran's election, they are completely deluded because the Iranian nation is a wise nation and knows its enemies and acts contrary to the enemy's demand," Dehqan said in an interview with RT Arabic published on Friday, Press TV reported.

He noted that the US and Britain as well as the media outlets affiliated to them seek to support one political camp against the other in Iran's election.

"We are telling them that that is not how things are and our nation makes decisions based on the conditions specific to that time. That's why they do not look to the US or the UK in elections," he said.

Dehqan emphasized that the Iranian people are fully aware that the West offers no "breakthrough" to them.

"Over the past 30 or more years, the Iranian nation is moving along a clear path for the materialization of its goals and will certainly view issues according to its own special conditions and never forget the main objective," he said.

Iran will simultaneously hold the 12th presidential election and the fifth city council elections on May 19. Some 55 million Iranians are eligible to vote for a new president in what is expected to be a close race.

Interior Ministry on April 20 released the list of six candidates qualified to run in the presidential election. They are former culture minister, Mostafa Mirsalim, former vice president, Mostafa Hashemitaba, Vice President Es'haq Jahangiri, President Hassan Rouhani, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and the custodian of the shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH), Ebrahim Raeisi.

Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei warned on April 19 of hostile attempts aimed at marring Iran's upcoming elections, calling for a massive turnout to disappoint the enemies.

Ayatollah Khamenei described a successful election as an "asset" for the nation.