Iran bans female candidates running for President in June elections

Female candidates have been banned from running in the presidential elections in Iran this year, according to a report.

Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi, a clerical member of the Guardian Council, Iran’s constitutional watchdog group, yesterday remarked how “the constitution rules out the participation of women in presidential elections”.

Yazdi said: “the law does not approve of a woman in the presidency and a woman on the ballot is not allowed”.

The election candidates for the presidency and the parliament are chosen by the Guardian Council according to their Islamic credentials and, according to the constitution of Iran, the president must be elected from religious-political men, or rijal, meaning men in Arabic.

Women, however, can participate in elections to the Iranian parliament and have previously served as lawmakers.

The Iranian president is elected for a four-year term in national elections and the ruling president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad cannot run for a third presidency because of the term limits.

The registration for candidates for the presidential elections, scheduled to be held next month on 14^th June, started on 7^th May and a total of 686 candidates had registered, 30 of whom were women who will be unable to run.

Aastha Gill