Iran's judiciary chief on Sunday blasted the reformists, who are headed towards victory in the country's elections, of working with Westerners to block hardliners
In a statement quoted by Reuters, Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani said reformists had coordinated with "American and English media outlets" to prevent what he called some servants of the people from entering the Assembly of Experts, which is tasked with selecting the country's most powerful figure, the supreme leader.
"Is this type of coordination with foreigners in order to push out these figures from the Assembly of Experts in the interests of the regime?" the statement said.
The comments come as results from Friday's election continue to come in. According to the BBC, allies of Iran's President Hassan Rouhani had won a landslide victory in Tehran, taking all 30 parliamentary seats in the capital.
Early results gave former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, an ally of Rouhani, the most votes for the assembly, which is composed of mostly elder and senior clerics.
The elections are seen as ones that may influence the choice of Iran's next Supreme Leader, to replace the 76-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Reports in December said Iran's top assembly of clerics has actively begun looking for Khamenei's successor, likely due to his failing health.
Details of Khamenei’s health are normally kept under wraps in Iran, but in September of 2014 the Supreme Leader underwent successful prostate cancer surgery. At the time, the surgery and the media attention it received prompted speculations in Iran that Khamenei's health is deteriorating.