Current:Home > MyIran opens registration for candidates in next year’s parliament election, the first since protests-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Iran opens registration for candidates in next year’s parliament election, the first since protests
View Date:2024-12-23 16:18:57
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran on Monday began registering candidates for parliamentary elections in March, which will be the first since nationwide protests rocked the country last year.
Iran has held regular presidential and parliamentary elections since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. But a clerical body vets candidates — disqualifying any seen as disloyal to the Islamic Republic — and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on all major policies.
Iran saw months of nationwide protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was being held by the morality police for allegedly violating the country’s strict dress code. The protests escalated into calls for the overthrow of the ruling clerics, marking one of the biggest challenges to their four-decade rule.
The protests largely died down after authorities launched a fierce crackdown in which more than 500 protesters were killed and nearly 20,000 were detained. Last month, the morality police returned to the streets in a renewed campaign to force women to wear the mandatory headscarf, known as the hijab.
Candidates for the 290-seat parliament have a week to pre-register online, the first step in a monthslong process. But each will eventually have to be approved by the Guardian Council, a 12-member clerical body, half of whom are directly appointed by the supreme leader.
Over 7,000 candidates were disqualified ahead of the last elections in 2020 — about half of those who had tried to run. The turnout for that election was the lowest since 1979, with just over 42% of eligible voters casting ballots.
Iran has been mired in a severe economic crisis since then-President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from a nuclear deal with world powers and restored crushing sanctions. The currency’s value has plummeted, erasing many Iranians’ life savings and driving up prices. With so many struggling to meet basic needs, analysts say there is little energy left over for protests or politics.
Iran’s government, which had abided by the 2015 nuclear deal before the U.S. withdrew, is now galloping ahead with its nuclear program. It is openly exceeding the deal’s limits on uranium enrichment and stockpiling, and it is building a new nuclear facility so far underground as to likely be impervious to U.S. weapons.
veryGood! (73)
Related
- Veterans Day restaurant deals 2024: More than 80 discounts, including free meals
- How the hostage deal came about: Negotiations stumbled, but persistence finally won out
- WHO asks China for more information about rise in illnesses and pneumonia clusters
- CEO, co-founder of Cruise Kyle Vogt resigns from position
- Klay Thompson returns to Golden State in NBA Cup game. How to watch
- Brazil forward Rodrygo denounces racist abuse on social media after match against Argentina
- Railyard explosion, inspections raise safety questions about Union Pacific’s hazmat shipping
- Israel drawn to face Iceland in Euro 2024 playoffs, then would play winner of Bosnia vs. Ukraine
- Rachael Ray Details Getting Bashed Over Decision to Not Have Kids
- The anti-Black Friday: How else to spend the day after Thanksgiving, from hiking to baking
Ranking
- Bill on school bathroom use by transgender students clears Ohio Legislature, heads to governor
- Judge says evidence shows Tesla and Elon Musk knew about flawed autopilot system
- Pilot tried to pull out of landing before plane crashed on the doorstep of a Texas mall
- Zoë Kravitz Shares Glimpse of Her Gorgeous Engagement Ring During Dinner Date With Fiancé Channing Tatum
- Taylor Swift touches down in Kansas City as Chiefs take on Denver Broncos
- Diamondbacks acquire third baseman Eugenio Suarez in deal with Mariners
- Ukraine says 3 civilians killed by Russian shelling and Russia says a drone killed a TV journalist
- Longer droughts in Zimbabwe take a toll on wildlife and cause more frequent clashes with people
Recommendation
-
Richard Allen found guilty in the murders of two teens in Delphi, Indiana. What now?
-
South Louisiana pipe fabricator’s planned expansion is expected to create 32 new jobs
-
Paris Hilton's entertainment company joins brands pulling ads from X, report says
-
Witnesses describe vehicle explosion at U.S.-Canada border: I never saw anything like it
-
Sydney Sweeney Slams Women Empowerment in the Industry as Being Fake
-
Dyson Airwrap Flash Deal: Save $180 On The Viral Beauty Tool Before It Sells Out, Again
-
13 Secrets About Mrs. Doubtfire Are on the Way, Dear
-
The White Lotus' Meghann Fahy and Leo Woodall Finally Confirm Romance With a Kiss