Election Race Kicks Off in Iran
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Having gone through a formal qualification process by Iran’s Guardian Council, hundreds of candidates across the country launched their electoral campaign in the early hours of Thursday to grab a seat in the parliament or the Assembly of Experts.
The election campaigns officially began in Iran on Thursday, and will last until the end of next Wednesday, February 24.
The nationwide votes for the parliament and the Assembly of Experts will be held simultaneously on February 26.
Around 6,300 candidates, including some 600 women and dozens of Iranians from the religious minorities, are running for the parliament. There are 290 seats in the Iranian parliament up for grabs.
In capital Tehran, more than 1,000 candidates are contesting one of the 30 allocated seats on the legislature.
The lawmakers are elected for a 4-year term, with no limitation for the incumbent or former parliamentarians to run again.
Hundreds of candidates are also running for the 88-member Assembly of Experts, a high-ranking body that elects leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Members of the assembly are directly elected to office by people for an eight-year term. It holds biannual meetings to appoint a new chairman.
Top Iranian officials have repeated calls over the past weeks for a high turnout in the elections.
Earlier this month, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said massive presence of people in the upcoming elections will secure the country against hostile schemes.
High turnout in the polls will give more dignity to the country and the Establishment and safeguard them, Imam Khamenei underlined. “Hence, it is everyone’s duty to cast their ballots.”
