Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stressed Sunday the people's right to choose between the different political movements.
Rouhani was speaking at the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini during annual celebrations of the 1979 revolution.
"The imam (Khomeini) insisted on the fact that people must participate in all elections and have the right to choose", Rouhani said.
"Whoever prevents people from choosing, and does not allow them to choose between different (political) tendencies, and whoever discourages people from going to the polls, is certainly far from the approach of the imam", he added, AFP reported.
The Guardian council says it has barred almost 9,500 potential candidates from standing in the February 21 legislative polls.
Those who are barred are allowed to appeal before the election.
Last week, Rouhani warned of threats to Iran's "democracy and national sovereignty" after the disqualification of the candidates.
