The Iranian Foreign Ministry has condemned a statement issued by the European Union criticizing the country's parliamentary elections.

In a recent statement, the EU's Slovenian Presidency claimed that Iran's electoral system fell short of international standards. It also called the Majlis elections, which were held on Friday, unfair and uncompetitive.

However, in a statement released on Sunday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Mohammad-Ali Hosseini, dismissed the comments made by the EU as 'hasty, politically motivated, and unacceptable'.

Hosseini said it was surprising to see the EU issue a statement evaluating the elections before the vote count is over and the final results for all constituencies are officially released.

“It would have been better for the EU presidency to heed the countless messages the Iranian nation sent out to Europe with the results of its democratic elections and reconsider its unfair and unconstructive approach, instead of issuing such hasty prejudgments,” said the spokesman.

“The elections for Iran's eighth Majlis, which received the approval of the overwhelming majority of the Iranian people, were held in an accurate, fair, and peaceful fashion and with extensive coverage by foreign media,” Hosseini added.

MJ/GM/BGH