A religious pundit from the Guardian Council and an element of the Observing Council Determining Candidates’ Eligibility for Presidential Election, Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi declared that Iran’s future president will not be a woman and that according to the Islamic Republic’s constitution women do not have a right to participate as a candidate in such elections. Foreign media reacted to the statement:
Arab News Daily: A member of Islamic Republic of Iran’s Guardian Council declared that women cannot participate in the July 14th presidential elections, what disappointed more than 30 women who had become candidates.
Sky News Website: Women who registered as a candidates for the presidential elections were told they cannot participate in the elections. 30 women had registered on July 14th.
Los Angles Times: Though it does not come as a surprise but a religious personality, Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi officially said that Iran’s future president will not be a woman.
(state- run Asre Iran – May 18, 2013)
