Azerbaijan, Baku, May 15 /Trend D.Khatinoglu/
More than 100 Iranian MPs signed and submitted a scroll to the Guardian Council, stating their refusal against country's ex-president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's participation at the elections, Fars news agency reported.
"Rafsanjani's recent statement about Israel, his unclear position on 2009 post-president election protests, and him transgressing the commandments of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei" were listed in the scroll as the reasons for the protest.
Iranian ex-president who is serving as the head of Expediency Discernment Council said two weeks ago that "Iran doesn't have any interest in being involved in war with Israel. However, if the Arab countries begin the war with Israel, we can support them".
Iranian MPs said this is against thoughts and ideals of Iran's former and current leaders, Ayatollah Ruholllah Khomeini and Ayatollah Ali Khameni.
The Principlist and Conservative groups in Iran also criticize Rafsanjani for "his uncertain position about the 2009 elections sedition". Iranian authorities refer to unrests and demonstrations following the announcement of the result of presidential elections as "sedition".
Rafsanjani, who has been Iran's president twice, joined this year's race at the last minute. He was elected chairman of the Iranian parliament in 1980 and served until 1989. Rafsanjani also served as president of Iran from 1989 to 1997.
Despite the ruling conservatives, Iran's major reformist leader, ex-president Mohammad Khatami announced his support for Rafsanjani on May 11.
At the elections, Rafsanjani, if approved by Iran's Guardian Council, will have strong rivals in Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili, and the head of presidential office of current president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei.
Iran will hold the 11th presidential election on June 14, 2013.
The voters will select the successor of the current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is not able to participate in the elections for the third term according to the country's constitutional laws.
The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election and the Guardian Council vets the candidates for qualifications.