Iranians to elect new president amid turbulence
World
On 28 June 2024, Iranians will vote for a new president from among six candidates, including one reformist, in an election that was postponed after ultraconservative Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash last month.
The election occurs at a challenging time, as Iran faces economic struggles due to international sanctions and heightened regional tensions related to the Gaza conflict between Israel and Hamas, a Tehran ally. Earlier this year, Iran launched over 300 missiles and drones at Israel following an airstrike in Damascus blamed on Israel.
The main contenders include conservative parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, ultraconservative former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, and reformist Massoud Pezeshkian. Other candidates are Tehran mayor Alireza Zakani, cleric Mostafa Pourmohammadi, and vice president Amirhossein Ghazizadeh-Hashemi.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called for high voter turnout. In the 2021 election, turnout was just under 49 percent, the lowest in Iran's presidential election history.
Voters are divided, with some expressing skepticism about the impact of their vote on issues like inflation and the declining rial, while others hope for reformist leadership to address unemployment and poverty.
The main contenders include conservative parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, ultraconservative former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, and reformist Massoud Pezeshkian. Other candidates are Tehran mayor Alireza Zakani, cleric Mostafa Pourmohammadi, and vice president Amirhossein Ghazizadeh-Hashemi.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called for high voter turnout. In the 2021 election, turnout was just under 49 percent, the lowest in Iran's presidential election history.
Voters are divided, with some expressing skepticism about the impact of their vote on issues like inflation and the declining rial, while others hope for reformist leadership to address unemployment and poverty.
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