Iranian Legislative Election Campaigns Begin Ahead of March Polls

Iran (IMNA) - The elections are scheduled for March 1, during which voters will elect new members of Iran's parliament and the Assembly of Experts. The upcoming parliament is set to convene in late May.

A total of 15,200 candidates have been approved by jurists overseeing the vetting process to compete for the legislature's 290 seats. This marks a record number of candidates since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi stated that the groundwork has been laid for a competitive environment among different groups with varying political beliefs. He emphasized the importance of candidates and their supporters following the legal guidelines of the elections, urging them to conduct their campaigns with discipline and avoid attacking other candidates.

Guardian Council Sends Names of Qualified Candidates for Iranian Election to Interior Ministry

On Wednesday, the Guardian Council submitted the names of qualified candidates for the upcoming Iranian election to the interior ministry, which is responsible for overseeing the election process.

Among the candidates are 1,713 women, a significant increase from the 819 female candidates who ran in the previous election in 2020. In the Tehran constituency alone, a total of 3,545 candidates are vying for seats in the parliament.

Notably, current parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf is seeking re-election from his hometown in the northeast region of the country, after having won a seat in Tehran four years ago.

In a separate but simultaneous election, 144 clerics will be competing for the 88-seat Assembly of Experts, which serves as an advisory body to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. Members of the assembly serve eight-year terms and are responsible for monitoring the country's leader and selecting a successor when needed.

Incumbent assembly member President Ebrahim Raeisi has announced his intention to run for re-election to the assembly in a constituency located in South Khorasan province.