EU says Iranian elections were unfair

BRUSSELS, March 16 (Reuters) - Iran's parliamentary election in which conservatives claimed a clear victory on Sunday were neither fair nor free, the European Union said.

"(The EU) expresses its deep regret and disappointment that over a third of prospective candidates were prevented from standing in this year's parliamentary elections," the EU Presidency said in a statement.

"As a result, the election was neither fair nor free," it said after many reformist opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were barred from running in Friday's vote. (Reporting by Mark John, Editing by Matthew Jones)