(VOVworld) - More than 12,000 candidates have signed up for Iranian parliamentary elections due in February, the most since the Islamic revolution in 1979.

Iranian hopefuls wait to register their candidacy for either the upcoming parliamentary or the Assembly of Experts elections at the interior ministry in Tehran on December 21, 2015  (Photo: Atta Kenare/AFP)

The interior ministry has said the number of people who registered to stand before a Friday deadline was up nearly 100% compared with the previous legislative polls in 2012.

At the close of registration, the number of candidates stood at 12,123, of whom 1,434 were women.

Women accounted for 11% of the hopefuls for the 290 seats available in the February 26 vote, up from eight percent last time.

The proportion of candidates below 50 years old increased from 67% to 73%. The youngest candidate to apply was 30 years old, and the oldest 75.

However, the final number of candidates is expected to be lower after the Guardians Council vets applications, with a final list published on February 9, 2016.

Voting will be held on the same day as the election for the Assembly of Experts, which monitors the work of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and will be responsible for picking a replacement if he dies.

A total of 801 candidates including President Hassan Rouhani applied to run for the 88-seat assembly.