Vetting of Iran’s presidential hopefuls underway: Guardian Council

Fuente: 
Press TV
Fecha de publicación: 
13 Mayo 2013

Iran’s Guardian Council Spokesman Abbas Ali Kadkhodaei says the supervisory body has begun the vetting process of hopefuls for the upcoming presidential election.

Kadkhodaei made the comments on Sunday, adding that the council would try to finish vetting the hopefuls in five days’ time.

However, Kadkhodaei added, the supervisory body may need another five days to vet the hopefuls if it cannot finish the job during the initial five-day period.

Under Iran’s election law, the Guardian Council is required to announce the list of vetted candidates within five days after the end of registration. This period can be extended another five days.

The registration for the 11th presidential election of Iran ended on Saturday with 686 individuals having signed up for the race.

The Iranian official said any electoral offences would be reported to the country’s Judiciary and penalties imposed accordingly, adding that certain offences would also affect the vetting process.

The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election. The Guardian Council is mandated with vetting the hopefuls.

The Iranian Constitution stipulates that presidential candidates must be religious or political figures, be Iranian in origin, have Iranian citizenship, be resourceful and have managerial skills, have no criminal record, be trustworthy and pious, and have firm belief in the fundamental principles of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the country’s official religion.

A number of Iranian officials have registered to join the race, including Chairman of Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Head of the Secretariat of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Esfandiyar Rahim-Mashaei, Secretary of Iran’s Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei and former First Vice-President Mohammad-Reza Aref.

Lawmakers Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel and Alireza Zakani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Saeed Jalili, former Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Velayati, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Vice-Speaker of Majlis Mohammad-Hassan Aboutorabi-Fard are also among the hopefuls.

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/05/13/303215/vetting-of-hopefuls-underway-in-iran/