First candidate withdraws from Iranian presidential race

Candidate for the Iranian presidential elections, Davood Manzoor, announced his withdrawal from the race, making him the first among other potential candidates. In a statement on X (formerly twitter) - Manzoor said that his withdrawal was due to the existence of a much suitable candidate amongst the current nominees. After the closure of candidacy registration last Wednesday, the Guardian Council, - also known as the Supreme Constitutional Court - has five days to review, approve or reject candidacy requests, as there were 80 applications, including four women. Iranian election regulations require candidates to be aged between 40 and 75, hold at least a master's degree or equivalent, come from religious or political backgrounds, and hold Iranian citizenship. Also, it requires candidates to have at least four years of administrative experience in the country and no prior convictions for criminal offenses, dishonorable acts or breaches of trust. Following the vacancy of the presidency due to the tragic hel icopter crash that claimed the life of President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions on May 19, the early Iranian presidential elections are set to occur on June 28. Source: Kuwait News Agency