As expected, former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and highly controversial Esfandiar Rahimi Mashaie have been barred from running for president by the Iranian Guardian Council. According to presstv, among almost 700 registered candidates, only (or rather after all) eight were approved, Saeed Jalili, Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, Ali-Akbar Velayati, Hassan Rohani, Mohammad Gharazi, Mohsen Rezaei and Mohammad-Reza Aref. Most probably, several figures will still step out now, so the list will probably be shorter when candidates are eventually allowed to campaign after Thursday. 

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei thus has made sure this time that there will be no trouble before and after the election on June 14.

22 May 2013 @ 7:40 am.

Last update May 22, 2013.