TEHRAN, July 16 (AFP) - The ultra-conservative head of Iran's Guardians Council has been given another six years in charge of vetting the Islamic republic's legislation and candidates for public office, reports said Friday.
Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, 78, was tapped to remain head of the powerful 12-member oversight body by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The cleric is seen by political moderates as a major barrier to reforms.
Similar to a senate, the Guardians Council is charged with screening all legislation passed by parliament, and during the 2000-04 tenure of reformists the body consistently binned laws aimed at liberalising the 25-year-old regime.
The body based its decisions on the contention that the rowdy parliament failed to respect Islamic law or the constitution in its bills.
Jannati's team also blocked efforts by reformist President Mohammad Khatami -- who is technically the regime's number two but who has been outflanked by other hardliners -- to reduce the power of the Guardians Council and fellow right-wingers in the judiciary.
The Guardians Council finally managed to do away with the reformists during February's parliament elections, when most moderate candidates were barred from contesting the polls. In Iran, all candidates for public office are screened for their commitment to the regime.
The parliament, or Majlis, is now controlled by regime-approved conservatives.
Aside from heading the Guardians Council, Jannati is also a frequent speaker at Friday prayers in Tehran -- an influential post also designated by Khamenei.
Above the Guardians Council in the legislative process is the Expediency Council, designed to arbitrate in case of protracted disputes. Also controlled by conservatives, the body has mostly sided with the Guardians.