Iran president's sister loses election

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TEHRAN, March 3 (UPI) -- A conservative rival defeated President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's sister in the Iranian parliamentary election.

Friday's vote was the first since the disputed presidential election of 2009, CNN reported. This time, observers described the election as a contest between two groups of conservatives, one loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the other loyal to Ahmadinejad.

The Green Movement, which protested Ahmadinejad's re-election in 2009, charging fraud, was not able to run candidates. While Khamenei supported Ahmadinejad in 2009, the two leaders have had a contentious relationship since then.

Parvin Ahmadinejad ran for the Majlis or parliament in a district in the family's hometown, Garmsar.

State news media reported that almost two-thirds of those eligible to vote got to the polls. A total of 3,400 candidates were running.

Ali Larijani, the parliamentary speaker, and Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, both won new terms.