TEHRAN -- Almost 150 government officials have resigned their posts to run for the 2008 parliamentary elections, Deputy Interior Minister for Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Mohammad-Hossein Musapur told the Mehr News Agency here on Friday.

According to the current elections law, if a parliament hopeful is a government manager, he must resign his post six months before the election. However, Musapur said the number of officials who have resigned their posts to run for parliament has decreased in comparison to the previous parliamentary elections. He argued this shows that the managers prefer to serve the nation at the executive sector rather than the legislative body. January 5 to 11 has been set as date for candidacy registration and the election will be held on March 14