The prosecutor general of Kermanshah province in western Iran, Mohammad Karimi, denied reports from local media about the thwarting of an assassination attempt against conservative presidential candidate Saeed Jalili in the province.
Karimi stated in a press conference that "the reports circulated in the media about foiling an assassination attempt on candidate Saeed Jalili are untrue," adding that "Jalili visited Kermanshah this morning, and his campaign program was conducted safely, and he left the area without any problems."
He further noted that "the news published in the electronic space regarding the thwarting of an assassination attempt on one of the presidential candidates during his visit to Kermanshah was fabricated."
Karimi continued, "An hour ago, a suspicious news item emerged titled 'Thwarting of an assassination attempt on a candidate,' and after the widespread dissemination of this news in the electronic space, accompanied by details such as the arrest of five armed criminals in this regard, the regional prosecutor was alerted to the matter in Kermanshah."
He added, "We will begin an investigation to identify the origin of this false claim and arrest those promoting such news close to the presidential elections."
Earlier, some news websites and Iranian news agencies reported that security authorities managed to thwart an assassination attempt on candidate Saeed Jalili during his visit to Kermanshah as part of his election campaign.
In a related context, the Tasnim news agency quoted the media committee of the election headquarters in Kermanshah, denying the foiling of an assassination attempt on candidate Jalili.
The second round of the presidential elections in Iran will take place next Friday between candidate Saeed Jalili and his reformist opponent Masoud Bezhakian.
