News ID: 244

Date: 25 February 2024 - 08:06

Iran gears up for elections

Iran is scheduled to hold the sixth term of elections for the Assembly of Experts and the 12th term of elections for the parliament on March 1.

Earlier in February, the Constitutional Council approved 14,200 candidates for the March 1 parliamentary election.

The Constitutional Council's spokesperson, Hadi Tahan Nazif, stated that a comprehensive evaluation process resulted in the qualification of a total of 14,200 candidates for parliament, with the final week focusing on scrutinizing appeal files.

He also stated that the number of candidates for the Assembly of Experts election increased to 144 people.

Tahan Nazif emphasized that the names of these qualified candidates were promptly communicated to the Interior Minister, and the Constitutional Council concluded its evaluation on February 8.

In addition to the parliamentary candidates, Tahan Nazif addressed the ongoing evaluation of Assembly of Experts candidates, indicating that their appeals were assessed on February 7.

He assured that any changes in the results would be communicated to the candidates promptly. The Constitutional Council remains dedicated to ensuring a thorough and transparent process ahead of the upcoming elections.

Mohammadreza Shahcheraghi, deputy minister of interior for political affairs and the head of election headquarters, said around 59,000 polling stations will be opened on the day of elections and nearly 800,000 people will be involved in holding the elections.

On February 17, Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi announced that 103 parties and 20 electoral coalitions declared their readiness for the forthcoming late winter election.

Minister Vahidi further revealed that several other coalitions are also gearing up for participation.

Vahidi commended the qualification of an impressive 15,000 candidates or the parliamentary election. He highlighted the diverse backgrounds of the candidates, noting that among them are 1,100 professors, 250 doctors, 1,700 teachers, 400 judges, and 1,700 women, showcasing the breadth of expertise and representation within the pool of qualified candidates.

On February 21, the Interior Ministry made a significant announcement regarding the upcoming parliamentary elections: as of early February 22, candidates are officially allowed to kick off their electoral campaigns.

This electoral process is slated to run until 8 am February 29.

Earlier on February 20, the Interior Ministry had unveiled the comprehensive list of political entities participating in the March 1 election.

The list comprises a total of 74 national parties, 31 provincial parties, and 21 political alliances, reflecting the diverse landscape of political representation.

Notably, there are two distinct elections on the horizon: the Assembly of Experts election, which aims to elect 88 members for an extended eight-year term, and the parliamentary election, which will determine representatives for a standard four-year term.

Source: Tehran Times