The rejected Iranian presidential candidate Ali Larijani has criticized the country's powerful Guardian Council in an unusually open manner.
"I had hoped that all of them together could address the country's problems, especially the economic pressure on the people caused by the sanctions," Larijani wrote in a handwritten statement shared on X on Monday. "But in my case, the Guardian Council has prevented this endeavour with opaque means."
The former parliamentary speaker and chief nuclear negotiator Larijani had been considered a secret favourite in political circles because he is recognized both within the system and in the reform camp.
He was also considered to have sufficient experience to deal with the various crises facing the country, including the resumption of nuclear negotiations with the West.
These are a top priority for the country, as a new nuclear deal is the only way to lift the sanctions against the Islamic country and thus end its acute economic crisis.
Although the 66-year-old mathematician is considered a "man of the system," he has increasingly distanced himself from the country's arch-conservative leadership in recent years.
He is now categorized as a moderate conservative and is also respected by the opposition as a critic of the government. The politician's critical views were also the main reason for his disqualification on ideological grounds from the 2021 presidential election.
A new presidential election in Iran was called because the previous incumbent, Ebrahim Raisi, died in a helicopter accident on May 19.
On Sunday, the Guardian Council excluded a large majority of candidates from the presidential election, including Larijani.
Moderate politicians and candidates from the reform camp were the main losers. A total of six candidates will enter the race on June 28.