Tehran, Oct 27, IRNA -- Member of the Experts Assembly Ayatollah Hashem Hashemzadeh Herissi said on Wednesday that interpreting the terms 'Rejal' envisaged in the constitution who can run for president is up to the Guardian Council.

He described the term as ambiguous and said that it can be referred to both men and women or only men.

Herissi, who is also member of the high Islamic Human Rights Commission, said a competent and experienced woman can run for president, but, if you insist on legal aspect of the terminology, woman cannot.

However, the Guardian Council should interpret any ambiguous points in the context of the Constitution, he pointed out.

With approach of the presidential election slated for 2005, public debates have focused on whether women can run for president.

Up to now, women have not been authorized to declare their candidacy for the presidential election.