Iran’s election supervision council rejected a bill on Sunday that would increase reformists’ chances of success in the country’s upcoming elections, according to news reports.
In response, the reformists threatened to boycott the February 20 elections, effectively worsening the Islamic republic’s electoral crisis.
The council reportedly called the proposed emergency legislation contrary to Islam and Iran’s constitution.
Iran’s parliament voted in favor of an emergency bill to reinstate pro-reform candidates and limit the clout of the Guardian Council, a 12-member committee in charge of elections and known as one of Iran’s most right-wing elements. The reformists, who constitute more than one-third of over 8,000 potential candidates, had been banned by the Guardian Council.
Ayatollah Khamanai, Iran’s top spiritual authority, after initially refusing to intervene, ordered the Guardian Council to soften its position on the reformists, according to news reports; about 300 have reportedly been reinstated thus far.
Many of the candidates, including Iranian President Muhammad Khatami, had threatened to resign if the Guardian Council persisted with its restrictions.
Thousands of students are planning to protest the Guardian Council’s actions in coming days, according to news sources.
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