FOUR CONTENDERS RUN FOR PRESIDENCY IN IRAN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
21.05.2009 17:22 GMT+04:00

On May 20, 2009, Iran’s Guardian Council approved candidacies of
former Iranian Premier Mir-Hossein Mousavi, former Parliament Speaker
Mehdi Karrubi, former Revolutionary Guard Commander Mohsen Rezaei
and incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Of the 400 registered
candidates, 42 were women. Any citizen in Iran is eligible to submit
claim for candidacy, Iran.ru reports. President is the guarantor of
state and Head of the executive. Decisions on key issues are made only
after Supreme Leader’s approval. President appoints Ministers’ Council
members and coordinates Government’s activities. Parliament- Majlis,
the country’s top legislative body, approves ten Vice Presidents and
21 Cabinet Ministers’ candidacies. Although Defense and Intelligence
Ministers are appointed by President, their candidacies should be
preliminarily approved by Supreme Council. The President is elected
by universal suffrage for the term of 4 years. Electoral campaign
starts on May 22.