In Iran, the candidacy period for the early presidential election of June 28 ends this Monday, June 3, when several dozen more or less well-known personalities have submitted their candidacy.
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In Iranthe presidential election was initially scheduled for 2025, but will be held at the end of June to replace the ultraconservative president Ebrahim Raïssi, died on May 19 in a helicopter accident. And the application period ends this Monday.
The former ultra-conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stood as a candidate, and he is undoubtedly the best known of the personalities. President for two consecutive terms from 2005 to 2013, they were marked by incendiary remarks about Israel and strong tensions with the West, particularly over the Iranian nuclear program.
“ I am convinced that all the problems of the country can be solved by using national capabilities to the maximum », he declared this Sunday, June 2 after submitting his candidacy to the Ministry of the Interior. His candidacy had already been rejected during the previous election three years ago and he has little chance of being approved this time, estimates our correspondent in Tehran, Siavosh Ghazi.
Another ultra-conservative candidate has also submitted his candidacy, Saïd Jalili, who had been in charge of nuclear negotiations during the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
A former President of Parliament and a former governor of the Central Bank
The moderate candidate is represented by Ali Larijani, former speaker of Parliament. Aged 66, he is known for his moderate visions, particularly in foreign policy. A former member of the Revolutionary Guards – the ideological army of the Islamic Republic – he has held numerous key positions within the system over the past three decades.
Responsible for the nuclear issue in 2005, he resigned after two years of negotiations with major Western powers, declaring that he had “ serious differences with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad “. Head of Parliament from 2008 to 2020, Ali Larijani notably supported the international nuclear agreement concluded in 2015 with Iran.
The former governor of the Central Bank and candidate for the 2021 presidential election, the reformer Abdolnasser Hemmati is a candidate. This 67-year-old economist received only 8.4% of the votes.
A final list of candidates published on June 11
Dozens of other people also applied. This Monday, June 3 could be decisive since leading personalities could also stand as candidates.
The Council of Guardians of the Constitution, controlled by ultraconservative clerics, responsible for filtering candidates, will have to publish the final list of personalities on June 11. Then, a short two-week campaign will take place.
Iran’s Supreme Leader and various officials have reiterated in recent days that there will be no change in the country’s internal and foreign policy. Which, in principle, leaves moderate and reforming candidates little chance.
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