Constitutional Council has no partisan interest; all political affiliations welcome in elections: Spokesman
The Constitutional Council "has no partisan interest" and acts as a neutral judge, Hadi Tahan-Nazif told reporters during his regular press briefing on Saturday.
He added that the top legislative body does not classify political parties because the law does not so.
Noting that the Council makes its decisions collectively, the spokesman said candidates with diverse political affiliations can participate in elections within the framework of the Constitution and in the framework of the law.
The Constitutional Council is one of the most important and powerful bodies within the Islamic Republic of Iran’s fabric of governance. The Council’s constitutional mandates include interpretation of the Constitution, supervision of elections (approval or disapproval of candidates seeking to run in parliamentary, presidential, and Assembly of Experts elections) and the vetting of legislation passed by the country’s Parliament.
The Council is comprised of twelve members: Six Faqihs and six jurists. The Faqihs (Islamic jurists) are appointed by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, and the jurists are nominated by the head of the Judiciary Branch and confirmed by Parliament. According to Article 91 of the Constitution, the members are elected to serve for a period of six years.