Ex-leader Rafsanjani barred from Iran presidential vote – news agencyMay 21, 2013 - 20:55 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency said on Tuesday, May 20 that it had heard that the Guardian Council, which is vetting candidates for next month's presidential election, had barred former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and a leading ally of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from running, Reuters reported. If true, the exclusion of Rafsanjani and Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie, a former chief of staff to Ahmadinejad detested by the clerical establishment, would leave the presidential race dominated by hardline conservatives close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Council, a conservative body of clerics and jurists, had until Tuesday to announce to the Interior Ministry which of around 700 would-be candidates it will allow to contest the June 14 poll. The Interior Ministry said the names of approved candidates would be announced on Wednesday, according to Iran's English-language Press TV. Mehr said its reporter had heard a list of eight candidates approved by the Council that did not include either Rafsanjani or Mashaie. Mehr gave no source for its story and Reuters could not confirm it. The eight approved candidates listed by Mehr included chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, Tehran mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, former nuclear negotiator Hassan Rohani and former foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Lemkin Institute petition seeks release of Armenians in Azerbaijan The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the continued illegal detention of political prisoners from Karabakh in Azerbaijan. Armenian Catholicos calls for national unity against threats Karekin II issued a message on Republic Day marking the anniversary of the First Armenian Republic. Pashinyan: Armenia’s desired goal is “on the horizon” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that Armenia is moving forward “without interruption”. Opposition leader, supporters spend night at Sardarapat memorial Police made nearly 300 arrests the day before as Galstanyan and his supporters continued to demonstrate in Yerevan. |