Iran Initiates Vetting Process for Presidential Candidates

Iran’s Constitutional Council spokesman, Hadi Tahan Nazif, announced on Tuesday that the vetting process for candidates in the country’s 14th presidential election, scheduled for June 28, has begun.

In an interview with state-run IRIB TV, Tahan Nazif stated that the council aims to complete the assessment of candidates’ qualifications within five days. However, the law allows for a five-day extension if needed.

“The president must be elected from among religious and political personalities who are of Iranian origin, have Iranian nationality, administrative capacity, resourcefulness, a good track record, trustworthiness, piety, and a firm belief in the fundamental principles of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the country’s official religion,” Tahan Nazif said, citing Iran’s Constitution.

According to Iran’s election headquarters, the interior ministry will announce the final list of candidates on June 11, after the vetting process is completed. Qualified candidates will then have from June 12 to June 26 to conduct their electoral campaigns.

The registration process concluded on Monday, with 80 candidates entering the race for the country’s top executive position.

The 14th presidential election, originally scheduled for 2025, was brought forward due to the unexpected death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on May 19 in the northwestern province of East Azerbaijan.