Six Iranian-kurdish political groups in a joint statement called for boycott of presidential and local council elections in Iran scheduled for May 19.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party, Kurdistan Komola Toilers' Party, Komola Party of Iranian Kurdistan, The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, the Revolutionary Khabat Organization of the Iranian Kurdistan and Iran's Komala Communist Party.

According to the website of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, these groups believe that the upcoming elections cannot be considered free based on democratic and modern standards.

The statement adds: "In prevailing conditions when opposition parties have been declared illegal in Iran and their activities are banned, free expression of opinion in Iran is a crime and the Kurdish people are deprived of their most basic rights, participation in these elections...is a factor contributing to the survival of dictatorial rule...".

Arash Saleh, the representative of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan in the United States told Radio Farda: "This is an unprecedented step that all the political parties of Iranian Kurds have signed a joint statement... All six parties in a unified voice ask the people to refrain from participation in the presidential and local elections".

There have been no official calls for a boycott of elections by other Iranian opposition groups.

The Islamic Republic of Iran banned these parties and their activities a few months after the Iranian revolution in 1979.