YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. Iranians are heading to polling stations to elect a new parliament on February 21. The Iranian parliament, known as the Majlis, is a 290-seat unicameral legislature, with 5 seats envisaged for religious minorities.

Iranian-Armenian lawmaker of the Majlis Karen Khanlaryan told ARMENPRESS the competition in the election is rather big, with an average of 50 candidates running for a single seat. And in addition of political parties, independent politicians are also running in the election. Khanlaryan himself is not seeking re-election.

The Armenian community of Iran has two seats in the parliament. One seat is for the Iranian-Armenians from southern Iran, and the other for the north.

Khanlaryan said 4 Armenian candidates are running for parliament in the northern part – Ara Shahverdyan, Albert Poghosyan, Aris Shahbazyan and Sevan Sohrayi. Two candidates – Robert Beglaryan and Emin Hovsep – are competing to represent the Armenians of Iran’s south.

The Iranian-Armenian candidates have campaigned during this period and presented their messages to voters: preservation of community organizations, protection of rights, resolution of community issues, recognition of Armenian Genocide etc.

The number of eligible voters in Iran is 58,000,000.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan