Hassan Rouhani criticises Iranian election criteria

Dissidents and critics claim election campaign is charade

Iran's outgoing president has criticised a sudden narrowing of the eligibility criteria for those hoping to succeed him as registration formally opened for candidates in the 18 June vote.

Dissidents and critics claim the campaign is just a charade and helps provide legitimacy to an autocratic regime but the tensions over who can stand - and the move by a powerful unelected body to exert greater control - has revealed the tensions in Iranian society over the outcome.