Former lawmaker Zohreh Elahian has registered to run in Iran’s presidential election. If approved by the Guardian Council, she could become the first woman ever allowed to stand, Iran International English reports on June 1st.
Read more: Iran Opens Registration for Presidential Race
Elahian, 57, is a former member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee and physician. She was elected to parliament twice as a hardliner. After registering, she declared her motto: “Sound government, sound economy, sound society,” and vowed to fight corruption. Elahian supports compulsory hijab rules. In March, Canada sanctioned her for endorsing the death penalty for “Woman, Life, Freedom” protesters. Her candidacy follows months of strict government policies against women defying the hijab mandate.
Elahian’s bid to run depends on the Guardian Council’s interpretation of a controversial constitutional article. This council, the sole body with this power, has historically barred female candidates. The disqualification is based on Article 115, which requires candidates to be rijal, a term meaning “men” in Arabic.
Some constitutional experts and politicians argue that rijal means “figures” or “persons”, not exclusively “men”. Veteran reformist politician and journalist Azam Taleghani registered to run in every presidential election from 1997 until her death in 2019. Despite being known as an Islamic feminist, the Guardian Council rejected her candidacy every time.
In 2009, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad nominated Elahian for Minister of Welfare and Social Security. Elahian declined due to opposition from senior Shia clerics against women serving as ministers. Another of Ahmadinejad’s female nominees, hardliner Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi, a physician and former lawmaker, received parliamentary approval as Minister of Health. She became the first and only female minister in the history of the Islamic Republic.
Several political figures registered to run on Saturday, June 1st. Among them were Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani, a hardliner; reformist lawmaker and former first deputy speaker Masoud Pezeshkian; and Vahid Haghanian, a member of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s office.
Haghanian’s registration, called the “biggest surprise” of the election by social media users, has baffled observers. Many believe he stands no chance of being qualified to run. Some even claim he no longer holds a position in Khamenei’s office.
Iran International English and agencies