Iran's Ex-President Demands Reasons For Disqualification

Iran's former president, Hassan Rouhani, has again appealed to the Guardian Council to demand answers as to his disqualification in the upcoming Assembly of Experts elections.

According to Rouhani's official website, he submitted his request on Wednesday, underscoring the lack of response to his two previous inquiries as the basis for his latest request.

The announcement of Rouhani's disqualification was made on January 24th, as he currently holds a position as a member of the Assembly of Experts, the deliberative body empowered to appoint the Supreme Leader of Iran.

In response to his disqualification, Rouhani had previously called on the public to actively participate in the forthcoming elections and cast what he termed a "protest vote."

Hadi Tahan Nazif, spokesperson for the Guardian Council, addressed the council's silence regarding Rouhani's letters, claiming that their priority is to review the eligibility of those who have lodged complaints. He said that they will address Rouhani's inquiry, emphasizing it as his legal right.

Amidst the debacle, the state-run news agency IRNA last month denied the lodging of a formal complaint, while Alireza A’arafi, a member of the clerics of the Guardian Council, responded to Rouhani's latest letter, acknowledging the call for a swifter response and assuring that they will promptly address the matter.

The instance is not the first time the Guardian Council has invalidated the eligibility of a former president for elections. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad both faced similar disqualifications for presidential elections.

The upcoming sixth round of Assembly of Experts elections is scheduled for March 1, 2024, concurrently with the twelfth parliamentary elections.