Presidential elections were held in Iran. Who participated in this race?
Today, on June 28, early presidential elections were held in Iran. Four candidates are competing for this position in the country of Persia. This was reported by local publications.
It is noted that three of the presidential candidates belong to the camp of conservatives (the late President Ibrahim Raisi also joined this camp), and the fourth belongs to the reformers.
One of the candidates, 62-year-old Mohammad Baghir Ghalibaf, was the Speaker of the Iranian Majlis (Parliament) from 2020, the former mayor of Tehran (2005-2017), the former commander of the Air Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (1997-2000). He was nominated for the presidency three times - in 2005, 2013 and 2017. The last time he withdrew his candidacy in favor of Raisi.
The second candidate, Said Jalili, has been the representative of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in the Supreme National Security Council since 2007. During Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency (2005–2013), he served as Secretary of the Supreme Security Council and Chief Negotiator on Nuclear Issues. Jalili ran for the presidency twice - in 2013 and 2021.
The only religious cleric in the presidential race is 63-year-old Mustafa Pourmuhammadi, a former minister of justice (2013–2017) and minister of internal affairs (2005–2008). He was nominated for the 2013 presidential election, but withdrew his candidacy.
Finally, 69-year-old Masud Pezeshkiyan, who was the only candidate from the reformers, has been a member of Majlis since 2008 (he was also vice-speaker). Former Minister of Health (2001–2005), cardiologist. Before his political career, he headed the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences for five years.
He applied to run in the 2021 presidential election, but was denied. While other candidates' positions align with Raisi's policies, Pezeshkian has occasionally criticized officials and advocated for better relations with the United States and women's freedoms, including the hijab.
For information, the former president of Iran, Ibrahim Raisi, was killed in a helicopter crash on May 19. He was returning from the opening ceremony of the Araks River dam on the border with Azerbaijan. The delegation accompanying him, including Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdullahiyan, also died.
Raisi's funeral will be held on May 23 in Mashhad, his hometown. The farewell ceremony for the deceased began on May 21 in Tabriz. Then the president's body will be sent to Qom, Tehran and Birjand. Five days of national mourning have been declared in Iran.
In accordance with the country's constitution, the powers of the Chairman were temporarily transferred to Muhammad Mokhber. He held executive power for 50 days after being approved by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
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