Iran reinstates some election candidates following pressure

Amid growing criticism from both ends of the political spectrum, Iran’s Guardian Council has reinstated more than 280 previously disqualified candidates for next month’s parliamentary elections, The Associated Press reported Wednesday.

Out of the initial 7,200 prospective candidates, 5,300 are now eligible. According to the article, most prominent pro-democracy reformists still remain out of the race.

Members of both the reformist and conservative camps had said that a wide ban would risk a low election turnout and undermine polling. A high turnout is vital to allowing Iran to present an image of validity to the international community.

Among those candidates reinstated is the grandson of Ayatollah Rubollah Khomeini, founder of Iran’s Islamic republic.

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