TEHRAN: Iranian authorities on Tuesday barred two potentially powerful candidates from taking part in the June 14 presidential election.
The other eight candidates are mostly hardline politicians loyal to clerical Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The candidates who were denied participation are ex-President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is considered potentially sympathetic to reform, and Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie, a close aide to outgoing leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
