Some 61 million Iranians are called to the polls next Friday to elect the 290 deputies of the Iranian Parliament and the members of the Assembly of Experts. The two main groups in the conservative camp finally decided to present a single list to try to mobilize their electorate.
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With our correspondent in Tehran, Siavosh Ghazi
After several months of tension, the conservatives decided to unite under the leadership of the current Speaker of Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, and to put aside the divisions in Iran. The conservatives are trying to mobilize the traditional conservative electorate, while many experts predict a strong abstention of the electorate due to a difficult economic situation. Above all, there is no prospect of improvement in this situation, while the Iranian currency continues to fall against the dollar and Western sanctions are hitting the country’s economy hard.
On the political level, this united list allows the current President of Parliament to strengthen his position on the political spectrum. He is expected to lead the Majlis again. This allows him to position himself for the position of President of the Republic in the coming years.
In recent days, he has mainly focused on his management at the head of Tehran town hall a few years ago, or at the head of the national police. In the past, he also led the Revolutionary Guards’ air force. This allows it to have the support of this elite army which is taking an increasingly important place within Iranian power, but also in the country’s economy.
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