Iranian women can stand for president: watchdog
AFP
TEHRAN- There is no restriction on women standing in this year's presidential election, a spokesman for constitutional watchdog the Guardians Council said, according to a Mehr news agency report on Saturday.
"Women have sought to be candidates in the past and the Guardians Council has no special opinion. There is no restriction and no law on the nomination and assessment of women candidates," Abbas-Ali Kadkodaye said.
So far, the council has rejected all attempts by women to stand for the presidency.
Former council spokesman Gholamhossein Elham has said in the past that under the constitution only men could be candidates to be president.
To describe candidates for the presidency, the Iranian constitution uses the word "rejal," which in Arabic implies a man but which in Farsi means a political figure.
"The council has never put an interpretation on the word 'rejal'," Kadkodaye said.
The presidential election is scheduled for June 12.
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