Politics Hardliner Hashemi backs down before Iran election

Shortly before the presidential election in Iran, hardliner Amirhussein Ghasisadeh Hashemi has withdrawn his candidacy. In doing so, he wanted to strengthen the remaining conservative candidates, Hashemi wrote on the online platform X late Wednesday evening (local time). As an arch-conservative politician, he belongs to the so-called Stability Front, a group loyal to the system, and is chairman of the Foundation for Martyrs and Veterans.

Around 61 million voters are being called upon this Friday to elect a successor to President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in an accident. The Guardian Council, an Islamic supervisory body, had only approved six candidates for the election. The election campaign officially ended on Thursday morning.

In the conservative camp, a power struggle is raging between the hardliner Said Jalili, ex-negotiator in nuclear negotiations, and parliamentary speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf. It is unclear whether another candidate will withdraw. Former Health Minister Massud Peseschkian is the only moderate candidate with a good chance. The other two candidates are considered to have no chance.