By The Journal of Turkish Weekly

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today has urged the country's officials to be careful when making sensitive statements, or better, to avoid making them in the first place, Mehr reported.

Ayatollah Khamenei noted that sensitive statements should not be made prior to the upcoming presidential elections in the Islamic Republic.

The Supreme leader noted that country's political atmosphere needs to remain calm, prior to elections.

Last month, the Public Relations Department of Iran's Interior Ministry has revealed the exact date of country's presidential elections in the country, which will be hosted on Khordad 24 (June 14), 2013.

The voters will elect the seventh President, successor of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The President of Iran is the highest official elected by direct popular vote, but does not control foreign policy or the armed forces.

Candidates have to be vetted by the Guardian Council, a twelve member body consisting of six clerics (selected by Iran's Supreme Leader) and six lawyers (proposed by the head of Iran's judicial system and voted in by the Parliament).

Iran's tenth presidential election was held on 12 June 2009,with incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad running against three challengers.

As the Interior Ministry's report said on the same day, along with presidential elections, midterm elections (four electorates) to the country's parliament will be hosted as well.

"Sometimes even a statement or minor action can cause serious fluctuation in the country," Ayatollah Khamenei noted.

 

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