Following the passing of Raisi in an accident, six individuals have confessed to running for president in Iran.
On May 19th, Raisi passed away suddenly in a helicopter crash, causing the presidential election in the Islamic Republic of Iran to be hastened.
Initially, there were 80 candidates - 76 men and four women. However, the Constitutionally designated Guardian Council, predominantly conservative, chose only six candidates. The only progressive contender who was permitted to participate was Massud Peseschkian, a representative from Tabriz, Northern Iran's capital city, and a former health minister.
At 69 years old, Peseschkian is famous for his candidness. He had recently spoken out against the authorities' secrecy regarding Mahsa Amini's death. A 22-year-old Kurdish woman was killed in September 2022 following her arrest for violating the rigid Islamic dress code. This led to a nationwide, months-long protest movement with the cry "Women, Life, Freedom."
Peseschkian is contending against Ghasisadeh-Hashemi, former interior minister Jalili, conservative Parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and conservative Tehran's mayor, Alireza Sakini.
Notable individuals who were rejected included former Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani and Wahid Haghanian, a former Revolutionary Guards commander who is influenced by US sanctions. Ahmadinejad, a former president from 2005 to 2013, was also not allowed to compete in 2017 and 2021.
Prior to the most recent Parliamentary elections held in 2021, the Guardian Council had also only granted permission for seven candidates and excluded numerous moderate politicians and reformers. Governor Raisi eventually won the election. Then, voter participation fell to a record low of 48.8% since the founding of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979.
