“The Iranian expatriates abroad are keenly eager to have a say in the future of their country by taking part in presidential elections,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a phone conversation with his Canadian counterpart Chrystia Freeland.
Due to a lack of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the possibility of running Iran’s upcoming presidential elections in Canada has been the focus of much debate between the authorities of the two countries.
The Canadian foreign minister noted the positive presence of the Iranian highly educated population in Canada, saying “the Canadian government is well aware of the significance of holding Iran’s presidential elections for the Iranian expatriates, but under the current situation and the lack of political and diplomatic ties between the two countries, as well as Canada’s own set of regulations for the holding of elections for nationals of other countries, certain technical issues need to be first addressed and resolved.”
Last week, FM Spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said Foreign Ministry has put necessary efforts on agenda through channels of diplomacy in a bid to garner the required permits for distribution of ballot boxes in Canada.
Meanwhile, a political delegation from Canada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently in Tehran to hold talks on the bilateral relations between the two countries.
The 12th presidential elections are scheduled to be held in Iran on 19 May 2017.
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