Starting the election campaign in Iran

The electoral campaign for the general elections started today in Tehran in where followers of President Mohammed Khatami hope to win an absolute majority over the conservatives.

More than 6,000 candidates are competing for 290 seats in the parliament.

600 persons whose nominations were refused belong to the reformist's camp, yet their leaders hope to achieve victory in the one-week electoral campaign.

There is a larger number of parties and factions competing in the elections, especially among the reformists, and there are 18 separate groups in the reformists' alliance and in main electoral circles like Tehran, which has 30 seats, and it is very difficult for these groups to agree on a joint list for their candidates.