Reuters | Iran reformers protest at election ban on liberals

"Solana told a news conference that Iran was facing international scrutiny after only about half of the 8,200 aspiring candidates were approved to run. Those disqualified include 80 members of the 290-seat parliament, currently dominated by reformists.

'It is very difficult for me to explain to the EU how people already in parliament may not be able to run for re-election,' Solana said. 'The fairness of an election is not only (a matter) for election day.'"

Good thing that it was the EU and not the US that broached the subject. If the US tried to make remarks about election improprieties in Iran, there would be lots of cases of people dying of laughter.

Going further, one could comment that in the US there is no law against "liberals" running but the US mainstream media will do everything to make "liberals" look illegal.