Constitutional Council spokesman Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei slammed the international community’s “deadly silence” in the face of the Israeli regime’s continued crimes against the Palestinians.

Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, the secretary of Iran’s Constitutional Council, which vets candidates for elections, highlighted the importance of the upcoming presidential elections in the country, calling on hopefuls planning to stand for the vote not to give promises that they will not be able to fulfill.

The Constitutional Council on Wednesday set new criteria for presidential candidates, updating registration requirements for those seeking to run in the country’s forthcoming presidential vote.

The spokesman for the Constitutional Council said the top overseeing body places paramount importance both on public health as well as the health of voting in the country’s upcoming presidential polls amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei warned against attempts aimed at dissuading people from taking part in the forthcoming presidential elections, calling for a massive turnout in the vote to disappoint the enemies.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei announced the general policies on elections on the basis of Clause 1 of Article 110 of the Constitution and after consultation with the Expediency Council. The text of the policies was issued to the heads of the three branches of government and to the head of the Expediency Council.

Secretary of Iran's Constitutional Council Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati said the qualifications of the nominees for the forthcoming presidential election as always will be checked with the utmost care.

Constitutional Council spokesman Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei said the vetting process for candidates in elections is based on law, stressing that the watchdog body, as always, will do its best to enforce the law in the upcoming presidential vote.

The Iranian Constitution has granted the Constitutional Council the authority to interpret the Constitution, supervise elections (approval or disapproval of candidates seeking to run in local, parliamentary, presidential, and Assembly of Experts elections) and vet legislation passed by the country's Parliament.

Constitutional Council spokesman Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei held an international press conference in Tehran on February 19, 2020, to answer reporters’ questions ahead of the country’s 11th parliamentary polls scheduled for February 21.