Iran announces candidates to compete in presidential polls on June 28

Iran is gearing up to elect a new president following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May.

The Interior Ministry has announced the names of six candidates whose candidacies have been accepted for the 14th presidential election, scheduled for June 28. Notably, former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s candidacy was vetoed for the third time.

The Guardian Council sent the list of approved candidates to the Interior Ministry, which then released the names.

The all-male list includes Tabriz MP Masoud Pezeshkiyan, former Minister of Justice and Interior Mustafa Purmuhammadi, former Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili, Tehran Mayor Ali Reza Zakani, Chairman of the Veterans Foundation Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi, and Speaker of the Majlis Mohammad Baqir Galibaf.

Seventy-four applications were vetoed, including those of former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and former First Vice President Ishak Jahangiri. Ahmadinejad’s candidacy was vetoed for the third time, following previous rejections in 2017 and 2021.

During his presidency from 2005 to 2013, Ahmadinejad often clashed with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Ali Larijani’s candidacy was rejected for the second time, following a previous rejection in 2021. It was announced that Larijani’s candidacy was rejected because he was born in Najaf, Iraq, and not on Iranian soil.

The six approved candidates will be able to continue their campaign activities until 8:00 a.m. on June 27.