Armenian-born Karen Khanlarian was elected to Iran’s parliament on March 2. According to media outlets, the candidate garnered 12 000 votes due to the active participation of Armenians from Northern Iran.

About 90% of Armenian voters, i.e. 10857 people voted for Karen Khanlaryan, according to the unofficial data.

Robert Beglarian was elected an MP in Jugha.

According to Bloomberg, opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were leading in Iran’s parliamentary election, which may strengthen the position of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Electoral officials declared results for 190 of the assembly’s 290 seats, Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar said yesterday, Feb 4 without identifying winners.

The United Principalist Front was ahead. The group has criticized Ahmadinejad for poor economic management and failing to show sufficient allegiance to Khamenei, 72, who was appointed in 1989 as the country’s highest authority and has frequently clashed with Ahmadinejad in the last three years.

Khamenei had called for Iranians to turn out in the March 2 elections as a show of unity against external threats. The vote took place as the U.S. and European Union target Iranian oil sales and its central bank with sanctions, saying they are needed to stop Iran from developing the capacity to make nuclear weapons.