NNA - Registration for Iran's June 28 snap elections ended on Monday with 80 candidates. Many are questioning the high number and speculating on who will ultimately be approved by the Guardian Council to participate in the race.

Over half of the registrations took place on the last day and even final hours. Authorities say 80 candidates registered in the past five days.

An interior ministry official said Monday after the closure of registration that the Guardian Council will announce the names of qualified candidates on June 11. The number of qualified candidates can range from around four to over ten, based on past instances.

Approved candidates will have two weeks to campaign before the election day. There will be a run-off election on July 5 if none of the candidates gains than 50% of the ballots cast.

The top candidates who registered Monday included Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the conservative speaker of parliament, Es’haq Jahangiri, former Vice President in Hassan Rouhani's administration, as well as two of the incumbent ministers, namely minister of roads and urban development, Mehrdad Bazrpash, and minister of cooperatives, Sowlat Mortazavi.--agencies 

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