Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will not be able to vie for another term in office in the country's June 18 elections, the Islamic republic's Guardian Council ruled on Sunday.
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According to Iran's Fars news agency close to the Revolutionary Guard has reported former Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, and Vice President Es'haq Jahangiri were also disqualified.
While Ahmadinejad's rejection was widely anticipated, banning Larijani and Jahangiri from the race was surprising. Larijani was expected to be the main challenger to the likely winner of the election, Chief Justice Ebrahim Raeesi, who is backed by hardliners and is considered a confidant of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
