A prominent Iranian Sunni religious scholar on Saturday called for a change in the country's constitutional article that bars Sunnis from being elected president.
"Constitutional articles are not divine orders. They are created by God's servants," said Abdulhamid Ismailzehi on his own website.
"The law preventing Sunni candidates in the presidential elections should be changed."
A first round of the elections is slated for May 19. If no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election will be held between the top two candidates.
Ismailzehi urged unity between Shias and Sunnis, saying both "should be able to be president."
According to Iran's official electoral commission, more than 1,600 people applied for candidacy in the looming poll.
Iran's 2017 presidential polls will coincide with municipal and local council elections, as well as partial elections for Iran's Shura Council (parliament) in some cities.
Please click to read our informative text prepared pursuant to the Law on the Protection of Personal Data No. 6698 and to get information about the cookies used on our website in accordance with the relevant legislation.
6698 sayılı Kişisel Verilerin Korunması Kanunu uyarınca hazırlanmış aydınlatma metnimizi okumak ve sitemizde ilgili mevzuata uygun olarak kullanılan çerezlerle ilgili bilgi almak için lütfen tıklayınız.