Tehran, YJC. A prominent jurist says that Ahmadinejad could not be pressed for having accompanied Mashaei to the candidacy sign-up premises.
Bahman
Keshavarz, former Chairman of the Iranian Bar Association Union Board of
Directors, wrote in Etemad "What is sure is that as long as their qualification
is not approved by the Guardian Council and their names not announced, the
presidential applicants are merely individuals who are optimistic towards
themselves and so think that people will vote for them. Therefore conditions
related to the candidates do not concern such people, of which we seem so far
to have more than 600. The above-mentioned is documented under articles 65, 66,
and 68 of the Presidential Elections Law.”
He
adds "There is no limit for individuals to accompany the applicants, such as
people from various groups and strata who have accompanied the applicants all
the more so with signs, emblems, and the like. Therefore there is no intrinsic problem
with Mr. President accompanying a friend at the time of sign-up.”
The
statements come at a time when the Guardian Council had in an announcement
regarded the President’s act as a violation of electoral rules and stated that
the issue would be pursued.