Jalili urges Islamic dialog, participation

Jalili, who is also the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, made the remarks in a televised speech in capital Tehran on Sunday.

“I assume what has brought about our success has been caused by two factors. One is religious thought and the dialogue of the Islamic Republic, while the other is the people’s participation in this thought and the realization of this thought,” Jalili said.

“The more we distance ourselves from these two factors, the more our strength is reduced and our weakness grows,” he added.

Iranians will go to the polls in the nation’s 11th presidential election on June 14. The 4th city and rural council elections are also scheduled to be held concurrent with the country’s presidential race.

On Tuesday, the Iranian Interior Ministry announced the list of candidates approved by the Guardian Council to run in the country’s presidential election.

The eight political figures approved by the Guardian Council are MP Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, former Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Velayati, Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili, Expediency Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei, Hassan Rohani, the director of the Strategic Research Center of the Expediency Council, former First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref, Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, and former Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Gharazi. The eight candidates were approved after a 10-day vetting process.

The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election, and the Guardian Council vets the candidates.