The early elections on June 28 follow the death of President Ebrahim Raisi last month in a helicopter crash.
El Council of Guardians of the Revolution of Iran, in charge, among other functions, of supervising elections and legislation, this Sunday designated six candidates for the early presidential elections on June 28.
The winner will replace Ebrahim Raisiwho died last month in northern Iran in a helicopter crash along with seven members of his entourage, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. Raisi was expected to win another term and was seen as a possible successor to the supreme leader, the ayatollah Ali Khamenei85 years old.
Six ultras and a reformist
A total of 80 people applied to be candidates In the elections. Of the six that have been approved, five are considered hard-line and only one belongs to the reformist camp.
On the list of candidates are:
Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf: President of Parliament, of hard line and former commander of the Revolutionary Guard. He is the most prominent candidate.
Saeed Jalili: ultraconservativeformer chief nuclear negotiator who headed the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for four years.
Alireza Zakani: Alcalde conservative from Tehran.
Mustafa Pourmohammadi: Ex minister – conservative- of Interior and Justice.
Amirhossein Ghazizadeh-Hashemi: Current vice president and boss ultraconservative of the Martyrs Foundation.
Massoud Pezeshkian: Former Minister of Health and only reformist candidatelegislator representing the city of Tabriz, capital of East Azerbaijan province in the Iranian Parliament.
Internal purges and all women disqualified
The former president and incendiary populist, Mahmud Ahmadineyadknown for its repression after his controversial re-election in 2009, has political activity prohibited and again he cannot stand for election.
Four women They had registered their candidacy, but all were disqualifieds by the Council that filters the candidates. They are made up of a panel of clerics and jurists ultimately supervised by Ali Khamenei. The Council’s decision represents the starting signal for a shortened two-week campaign to replace Raisi.
Candidates approved by the Guardian Council suggest that Iran’s Shiite theocracy hopes to facilitate elections after recent votes saw a record turnout. The marginalized and persecuted opposition has tried precisely call for abstention in previous elections without much success.
The elections are being held at a time of great tension between Iran and the West for their support Russia in the war against Ukraine and the rapid advance of the Iranian nuclear program.
