IRNA – Iranian lawmakers on Tuesday approved a single-urgency bill for membership of religious minorities in the city and village councils.

According to the bill, the religious minorities have the right to nominate candidates for the city and village councils elections.

The bill secured 152 yes votes, 41 no votes, and 13 abstentions. A total of 231 lawmakers were present at the parliament session.

The Islamic Republic of Iran recognizes the rights of religious minorities based on its Constitution.

All Iranian citizens are equal in benefiting from their basic rights within legal frameworks.

At present, out of 290 seats in the Iranian Parliament (Majlis), five lawmakers are from religious minorities. Zoroastrians and Jews, each has one representative, Assyrian and Chaldean Christians have one representative overall, and Christians living in the south and north of Iran, each has one representative in Majlis.

City and village councils in Iran are elected by direct vote of people. They choose the mayors of the cities and run the everyday affairs of the cities, towns and villages.