Iran Presidential Election Process Gets Rolling with Registration of Applicants


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian presidential election registration period began on Tuesday and eligible applicants can submit the required documents within a deadline of five days.

The registration of applicants seeking to run for president started officially at the Ministry of Interior in Tehran on Tuesday morning.

Presidential hopefuls are required to meet the new criteria set by the Constitutional Council, according to the council’s website.

The vetting body has established new criteria for the 13th presidential election in Iran in order to separate out large numbers of people who nominate with very basic or no qualifications for every election.

According to a statement released by the Central Delegation Monitoring the 13th Presidential Election, all applicants are required to provide a series of documents at the time of registration, including at least a master’s degree or its equivalent, and a certificate of clearance on no previous convictions.

Moreover, the age limit for running for president has been raised to 40, while the upper age limit for the hopefuls has been set at 75.

The nominates should also have an experience of serving for at least a combined total of four years in a series of political, administrative, military, or academic posts, such as the deputies of heads of three branches of power, members of the Supreme National Security Council, members of the Expediency Discernment Council, directors of the governmental organizations, top commanders of the Armed Forces with the rank of Major General and above, provincial governors, and mayors of populous cities.

The registration of volunteers will go on for the next five days. The Council will have until May 25 to examine the documents submitted by the hopefuls. It can extend the date by another five days if needed. The overseeing body will then release a final list of presidential candidates on May 26-27.

Several candidates have already officially announced their presidential bids, while others have only signaled that they would by seeking to run.

Slated for June 18, the next presidential election in Iran will be held simultaneously with council and midterm parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections.