TEHRAN – The Guardian Council will not be influenced by pressures when vetting candidates for the 2020 parliamentary elections, its spokesman said on Saturday.

“Our criterion to vet the candidates is law and we will not be influenced by pressures,” Abbasali Kadkhodaei said, Fars reported.

Under Article 99 of Iran’s Constitution, the responsibility to supervise elections lays with the Guardian Council.

The body consists of six theologians appointed by Supreme Leader and six jurists nominated by Judiciary and approved by parliament.

Iran’s next parliamentary election will be held on February 21, 2020. The candidates will have until December 7 to register.

Last month, Guardian Council secretary Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati said the council’s senior clerics and jurists do not consider political and factional rivalries when doing their duties.

“They do not apply their personal opinions and their criterion is to carry out their legal duty,” he said.

MH/PA