Iran opens registration for candidates in next year’s parliament election, the first since protests

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran has begun 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 for the 290-seat parliament, disqualifying any seen as disloyal to the Islamic Republic. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on all major policies. 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.