Iran 's Guardian Council has approved just 8 of more than 680 presidential hopefuls . The council is the highest body in Iran's Islamic system and its members are chosen by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who wields ultimate power over all state institutions. He says he was warned his campaign could lead to disorder and his safety was a concern . Clearly , the four of us were popular and a source of concern for Tehran , which is still haunted by the specter of 2009 post-election protests . Amirahmadi waited until the last day of registration and then withdrew from the race .
Iran 's Guardian Council has approved just 8 of more than 680 presidential hopefuls . The council is the highest body in Iran's Islamic system and its members are chosen by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who wields ultimate power over all state institutions. He says he was warned his campaign could lead to disorder and his safety was a concern . Amirahmadi waited until the last day of registration and then withdrew from the race .