TEHRAN, Iran | Xinhua | Iran’s Constitutional Council spokesman Hadi Tahan Nazif announced on Tuesday the start of the process to vet the registered candidates for the country’s 14th presidential election, scheduled for June 28.
Tahan Nazif said in an interview with state-run IRIB TV that the council sought to complete the assessment of candidates’ qualifications within five days, while noting that the country’s law permits an extension of the vetting process for an additional five days if necessary.
“The president must be elected from among religious and political personalities who are of Iranian origin, have Iranian nationality, administrative capacity, resourcefulness and a good track record, are trustworthy and pious, and have a firm belief in the fundamental principles of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the country’s official religion,” stressed the spokesman, citing Iran’s Constitution.
According to Iran’s election headquarters, after the vetting process, the Interior Ministry would announce the final candidates on June 11, and the qualified candidates would have 15 days, from June 12 to June 26, to conduct their electoral campaigns.
The registration process concluded on Monday, with 80 candidates entering the race for the country’s top executive position.
The 14th presidential election, originally scheduled for 2025, was brought forward due to the unexpected death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on May 19 in the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan. ■