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 Turkm ...

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 Asia ...

, 90% of the voters in

Tehran Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the Capital city, 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 th ...

abstained, a way to mildly express dissent.

Results

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

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 c ...

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 operat ...

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 provin ...

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, ...

. 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 f ...

Rey Rey may refer to: *Rey (given name), a given name *Rey (surname), a surname * Rey (''Star Wars''), a character in the ''Star Wars'' films *Rey, Iran, a city in Iran * Ray County, in Tehran Province of Iran * ''Rey'' (film), a 2015 Indian film *The ...

and Nur.

References

1968 elections in Iran

1968 The year was highlighted by Protests of 1968, 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 Czechos ...

{{Iran-election-stub