The first ever local elections in

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

were held in 1968, to elect the members of city and town municipal councils (''Anjoman''). The elections were scheduled for the beginning of May, however after being delayed several times, it started on 4 October 1968 for 175 local councils. The result was a victory for the New Iran Party. According to

Dilip Hiro __NOTOC__ Dilip Hiro, born in Larkana, Pakistan is an Indian author, journalist, and commentator who specializes on the politics of South Asia and Middle East. Career Hiro was the chief analyst on the Middle Eastern, Central Asian, South Asian ...

, 90% of the voters in

Tehran Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...

abstained, a way to mildly express dissent.

Results

Out of 173 councils up for election, the results for 7 cities were annulled, including

Sanandaj Sanandaj (Persian: سنندج, ; ku, سنە, Sine, often romanized as Senneh, is the capital of Kurdistan Province in Iran. With a population of 414,069, Sanandaj is the twenty third largest city in Iran and the second largest Kurdish city. San ...

Mehriz , native_name_lang = fa , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = Pahlavanpoor Garden by Hadi Karimi.jpg , imagesize = , image_alt = , image_caption = Pahlavanpoor Garden, Mehr ...

Nahavand Nahavand ( fa, نهاوند, translit=Nahāvand / Nehāvend) is a city in Hamadan Province, Iran. It is the capital of Nahavand County. At the time of the 2006 census, its population was 72,218, in 19,419 families. It is located south of the ci ...

and Khansar. The New Iran Party managed to gain majority in 148 councils and in 115 of them, it won all of the seats (including the capital,

). People's Party came up second, gaining control of 12 councils while the

Pan-Iranist Party The Pan-Iranist Party ( fa, حزب پان‌ایرانیست, Ḥezb-e Pān-Irānist) is a small opposition political party in Iran that advocates pan-Iranism. The party is not registered and is technically banned, however it continues to operate ...

won in 2 councils, in

Shushtar Shushtar ( fa, شوشتر; also Romanized as Shūshtar and Shūstar and Shooshtar) is a city and capital of Shushtar County, Khuzestan Province, Iran. Shushtar is an ancient fortress city, approximately from Ahvaz, the centre of the province. ...

and in

Khorramshahr Khorramshahr ( fa, خرمشهر , also romanized as ''Khurramshahr'', ar, المحمرة, romanized as ''Al-Muhammerah'') is a city and capital of Khorramshahr County, Khuzestan Province, Iran. At the 2016 census, its population was 170,976, in ...

. Non-partisan candidates shaped the majority in 4 cities, including

Dehloran Dehloran ( fa, دهلران; also Romanized as Dehlorān) is a city in and the capital of Dehloran County, Ilam Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 27,602, in 5,787 families. The city lies along Road 64, near the Iraqi border. ...

Amirkola Amirkela ( fa, اميركلا, also Romanized as Amīrkalā and AmīrKolā; also known as Amir Qal‘en) is a city in the Central District of Babol County, Mazandaran Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 25,186, in 6,923 fami ...

, Rey and Nur.

References

1968 elections in Iran

1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – "Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * Januar ...

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