TEHRAN – Guardian Council spokesman Abbas Ali Kadkhodaei said on Saturday that women can also register to run for the president in Iran.

In response to a question of whether the council’s faqihs (experts in Islamic law) have made changes to their definition of the legal term “statesman” to include women as well, Kadkhodaei told reporters that no changes have been made with this regard.

“In this regard, there are a series of cultural discussions going on in our country and it is not an issue that we resolve with merely a law,” he said, according to Mehr.

“First, this cultural issue must be resolved, and no changes have been made in this regard,” he remarked, adding, “Nevertheless, the registration of women in the presidential elections is permitted.”

Iran’s next presidential elections will be held on June 18, 2021.

In remarks in August, Jamal Orf, the deputy interior minister in charge of elections, said with the Guardian Council’s approval, June 18 was set for holding presidential, council and midterm parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections.

Candidates hoping to run in the next elections are to apply in early April for approval. The final list is to be announced by the Guardian Council in early June.

Under Iran’s law, an incumbent president cannot run for a third term if he has already served for two consecutive terms in office. Rouhani was first elected in 2013 and reelected four years later. 

So far, no woman has been approved by the Guardian Council to run for president.

MH/PA