Washington: US President George W Bush today (Feb 24, 2004) accused Iranian Government of trying to "stifle" people's freedom of speech in the run-up to the Parliamentary elections.

"I am very disappointed in the recently disputed Parliamentary elections in Iran. The disqualification of some 2,400 candidates by the unelected Guardian Council deprived many Iranians of the opportunity to freely choose their representatives," Bush said in a statement.

"I join many in Iran and around the world in condemning the Iranian regime's efforts to stifle freedom of speech - including the closing of two leading reformist newspapers - in the run-up to the election. Such measures undermine the rule of law and are clear attempts to deny the Iranian people's desire to freely choose their leaders," Bush said.

The United States, Bush said, "supports the Iranian people's aspirations to live in freedom, enjoy their God-given rights, and determine their own destiny".