In a recent interview with Press TV, Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei said, “When it comes to verification and vetting, the impact of the Constitutional Council’s votes on the people’s participation is very little.”
That, he said, is what opinion polls conducted by state institutions show. “It’s usually most likely about economic issues, and maybe some political and social issues.”
He said the Council carries out its responsibilities based on the Constitution, as the fundamental law of the country, and is duty-bound to do the vetting process. “If a person is vetted and not approved, we are not to blame. We have to act on the basis of law.”
Kadkhodaei said the hopefuls who had failed to secure the Council’s approval could not object to the decision under law. Only the Leader of the Islamic Revolution has the power under the Constitution to intervene and alter the decision, he said, adding that until then in the process this year, the Council had not been informed of any such move on the part of Ayatollah Khamenei.
Earlier, Kadkhodaei responded to criticism of the Council’s decision to bar the Reformist camp’s senior figures from running in the election next month, saying the body bases its decisions on election law, and not on political affiliations.
He assured that the Council had meticulously examined the qualifications.