Feb. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Iran's Reformists' Coalition is to take part in the March 14 parliamentary elections with fewer than 10 percent of its contenders and with most of its renowned candidates barred from running.

As many as 67 individuals may be cleared to enter the race out of the 909 applicants linked to the coalition who registered initially, Abdollah Nasseri, the spokesman for the Reformists' Coalition, said in a telephone interview from Tehran today.

``Most of our prominent candidates have been disqualified,'' said the spokesman for the group, which is inspired by former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami. ``We are hoping to run for some 67 out of the 290 seats'' in the parliamentary race.

Iran's Interior Ministry, which screened the applications of 7,168 Iranians, disqualified about 2,000 of them last month, citing reasons such as a lack of allegiance to the Islamic Republic's regime.

The country's Council of Guardians reinstated 280 individuals followed by another 300 last week, according to a report yesterday by the official Islamic Republic News Agency. The Council, which has a veto power, may approve more individuals as it reviews appeals through Feb. 22.

The final list of candidates will be made public in the first week of March, leaving a week for the campaigning.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ladane Nasseri in Tehran at lnasseri@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: February 17, 2008 10:55 EST