Iran's election and legislation supervisory body on Tuesday retracted a decision of disqualifying two reformist candidates applying to participate in the upcoming presidential elections, the official IRNA news agency reported.

The Guardian Council has given disqualified Mostafa Moin and Mohsen Mehralizadeh the green light to stand in the June 17 elections, the report said.

"As you consider it desirable that all people in the country from different interests have the opportunity to take part in the presidential election, the competence of Mr. Moin and Mr. Mehralizadeh by the Guardian Council is recognized," Ahmad Jannati, head of the body, was quoted as saying in a writing reply to a call by Supreme Leader Seyed Ali Khamenei to reconsider the disqualification.

On Sunday, the Guardians Council approved six applicants, among some 1,000 registered, to run for presidency, including former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, former parliamentary speaker Mahdi Karroubi and four conservatives including former police chief Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, former state broadcasting body chief Ali Larijani, Tehran Mayor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and former head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Mohsen Rezaei.

The disqualification drew sharp criticism both at home and abroad. Terming the move as a coup d'etat, the country's reformist camp threatened to boycott the elections.

It is believed that Khamenei called for reconsidering the disqualification out of fear that the turnout might be low, which would in turn mar the legitimacy of the vote.

Iran's 9th presidential elections are scheduled on June 17, and registration of candidates was held from May 10 to 14, during which more than 1,000 people registered to participate in the elections.

The incumbent President Mohammad Khatami is ruled out from the race because the law bans anyone to run for a consecutive third term.

Source: Xinhua