TEHRAN, Iran—The Armenian community of Tehran held its 17th Parliamentary Assembly of the Armenian Diocese elections on June 16, where 42 deputies were elected from the city’s five centers, as declared by the official results—5,654 citizens participated in the elections, with 5,619 verified votes (39 unverified ballots). Two main blocks participated in the election with their slate of candidates: the “Stable Community” block from the established community and church leadership, and the “Unity Alliance” block, featuring candidates close in ideology to those in power in Armenia and other fringe elements in the community, including the remnants of Soviet ideologies and other anti-establishment elements. The Armenian government has announced plans to participate in Diasporan community affairs and to establish information-gathering networks within different Diasporan communities.
The following list includes the candidates and their votes with the winners highlighted in bold (*denotes Stable Community block candidate, ** denotes Unity Alliance block candidate, and *** denotes an independent candidate).
Saint Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church (Central district)
- Sourik Abnousian – 1,035 *
- Garin Ayvazian – 861 *
- Maro Ayvazian – 369 **
- Loretta Avedissian – 495 **
- Ani Asadour Markosian – 364 **
- Artin Babaiants – 406 **
- Edmond Bejanian – 423 **
- Vahe Gerasimian – 883 *
- Greta Dilanian – 325 **
- Meghedi Yeghnazar – 1,011 *
- Arthur Tarverdian – 906 *
- Razmik Khodabakhshian – 983 *
- Dr. Sevak Hatamian – 975 *
- Ronald Hakhverdian – 415 **
- Marina Ghahraman Gardabad – 908 *
- Edwin Mirzaian – 976 *
- Vahe Minas Mirzabegian – 1,045 *
- Ani Melkon – 896 *
- Sophie Ghazarbegian – 997 *
- Roubik Sarkissian – 885 *
- Hamlet Sahakian – 391 **
- Karmen Sarkissian – 352 **
- Claris Sarkissian – 383 **
- Henrik Der Ghougasian – 563 **
- Sevan Der Ghougasian – 484 **
Saint Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church (Zeytoun district)
- Nareg Abrahamian – 277 **
- Sako Azizian – 541 *
- Alice Asadourian – 290 **
- Arbi Bonyadian – 647 *
- Silva Gergorian – 825 ***
- Artuyt Zohrabian – 759 *
- Nadia Eyvazi – 643 *
- Arlet Tatevos Iskandarian – 648 ***
- Armond Isaghoulian – 612 ***
- Vahe Khachatourian – 691 ***
- Arsine Khachatourian – 694 ***
- Gevik Khodaverdian – 568 ***
- Valod Hakhinian – 802 ***
- Serjhik Mahmoudi – 278 **
- Edward Minas Masihi – 724 *
- Hagop Mgrdichian – 359 **
- Sipan Mgrdoumian – 335 **
- Catherine Nazarian – 661 ***
- Artin Shahbazian – 682 ***
- Camen Chaharmahali – 671 *
- Adrine Ratevos Davoud – 599 *
- Patrice Simonian – 296 **
- Pyunik Simonian – 271 **
- Andranik Simonian – 473 **
- Serjhik Simonian –360 **
- Ashot Sinani – 822 ***
- Joseph Sukiassian – 698 *
- Alfred Keshishian – 742 *
- Serojh Ohanian – 860 *
Holy Translators Armenian Apostolic Church (Sassoun district)
- Norayr Aboulian – 810 *
- Carmen Azarian Namagerdi – 586 **
- Arpi Allahverdi – 868 *
- Janess Avedian – 595 **
- Alice Dilanchian – 526 **
- Verjhig Tahmassian – 740 **
- Masis Khachatourian – 631 **
- Manavaz Khachatourian – 760 *
- Abnous (Hovannes) Garabidi – 725 *
- Vachik Ghazarian – 671 *
- Norik Gharabegi – 832 *
- Roubina Margosian – 720 *
- Arin Mirzaian – 733 *
- Ara Mgrdichian – 816 *
- Haik Melkonian – 811 *
- Valentine Harouti – 543 **
- Mayreni Hovasapian – 547 **
- Alenoush Hovsepian – 786 *
- Aram Nahabedian – 792 *
- Catherine Nayeb Najjar – 551 **
- Roubik Sadar Masihi – 877 **
- Lilit Sardar Masihi – 703 **
- Yura Sinani – 593 **
- Ararat Sinani – 670 **
- Masis Fallah – 745 *
Saint Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church (Sardarabad district)
- Edward Aprahamian – 146 *
- Aram Novshadian – 160 *
- Mardiros Ohanjanian – 50 **
Holy Mother of God Armenian Apostolic Church
- Aragats Simonian – 54 *
- Mkhitar Vardin – 26 **
The “Unity Alliance” block suffered a substantial defeat in the elections, capturing just two of the available 42 seats, following years of efforts in the community, with a similar message to that used in Armenia in recent years. These efforts have reportedly included proposals to change Armenian textbooks in Iran and marginalization of the role of the church in the community.
Conversely, the “Stable Community” block, supported by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), received 82-percent of the votes, placing 35 deputies in the Assembly of Deputies. The Assembly will also include five independent deputies.
The Armenian community thus rejected the divisive and defeatist agenda of Armenia’s ruling party and fringe elements in the Iranian Armenian community.
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Dear Armenian weekly
You are not serving your young members/readers to be more intelligent members ( there is no hope for ARF older generation, they have imprisoned themselves in the ” from sea to sea Armenia ” and “voch me tiz hogh” mentality at any cost )
Your Organization/political party ” ARF” has become an irrelevant establishment ( when Armenia needs a genuine effective opposition with meaningful non-partisan solutions for todays Armenia’s challenges ) to Armenian communities through out of Diaspora and Armenia
Please add all votes that has been given to ARF , now do the same for opposition votes , you will see the difference is in lower single digit , I accept even if the non ARF candidate took 99% of vote, still ARF candidate would have been declared winners. The author of above article may be is young/or…., but let me remind you since US-UK 1953 coup de ta in Iran , that is during last 70 years not a single time the majority of elected candidates to Iranian -Armenia’s governing board have been anybody except ARF.
On the side line the author of above article failed to mention that ARF-Tehran made strong efforts to disqualify Dr. Rubik Sardarian from candidacy and only it was as a result of Iranian court’s ruling that ARF did not achieve their goal.
please do educate your young members for better Armenia
Dear Mr. Torosyan – you are entitled to your inaccurate opinion, which ARF haters repeat ad nauseum without truly understanding the words. Any bulwark that spreads the Pashinyan disease into the Diaspora is a welcome one in our today’s world. Re the elections in Iran, which you may not be as familiar with the process as you think, they are held fairly, with all sides free to campaign, and in a transparent manner. Any attempt to obfuscate facts is a disservice to the community and to the values that it upholds.