Iran’s presidential election on Friday, June 16th, will see six candidates, comprising five conservatives and a sole reformist, competing to succeed the late Ebrahim Raisi, who tragically passed away in a helicopter crash last month.
The candidates include:
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf: A prominent conservative who has served as the parliament speaker since 2020. The 62-year-old has run for the presidency three times previously, in 2005, 2013, and 2017, withdrawing the last time to support Raisi’s candidacy.
Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi: A 53-year-old ultraconservative medical doctor and staunch supporter of Raisi’s government. He has represented Mashhad in parliament for four consecutive terms and secured 3.5% of the vote in the 2021 presidential election.
Saeed Jalili: A 58-year-old ultraconservative former nuclear negotiator known for his uncompromising anti-West stance. A veteran of the Iran-Iraq war, he led Iran’s nuclear program negotiations from 2007 to 2013 and strongly opposed the 2015 nuclear deal.
Massoud Pezeshkian: The sole reformist candidate at 69 years old, he is an outspoken heart surgeon who has represented the northwestern city of Tabriz in parliament since 2008. He was previously the health minister in the government of former reformist president Mohammad Khatami.
Mostafa Pourmohammadi: The only cleric in the race, the 64-year-old conservative has held multiple positions, including in Iran’s intelligence ministry, and has served as both interior minister and justice minister in past governments.
Alireza Zakani: A 58-year-old ultraconservative who has served as Tehran’s mayor since August 2021. A veteran of the Iran-Iraq war, he was a candidate in the 2021 presidential election before withdrawing to support Raisi.
With their varying political leanings and backgrounds, these diverse candidates will vie for the Iranian presidency in a closely watched election that could shape the country’s future direction.
