Iran Names Six Candidates for President, Including Parliament Speaker
Iran’s Guardian Council, a body of clerics and jurists, has approved six candidates for the country’s presidential election on June 18, including the incumbent, Hassan Rouhani, and the parliament speaker, Ali Larijani.
The Guardian Council, which has the power to veto candidates, approved the six after vetting more than 1,600 applicants. The other candidates are Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim, Mostafa Hashemi-Taba, Ebrahim Raisi and Mostafa Mir-Salim.
The election is expected to be a contest between Mr. Rouhani, a moderate, and Mr. Raisi, a hard-liner. Mr. Rouhani, 68, is seeking a second term in office, and his main achievement has been the nuclear deal with world powers, which he signed in 2015.
Mr. Raisi, 56, is a former head of the judiciary and a close ally of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader. He is seen as a potential successor to Mr. Khamenei.
The other candidates are relatively unknown. Mr. Larijani, 58, is a pragmatist who has served as speaker of the Parliament since 2008. He is a brother of Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, the head of the judiciary.
Mr. Aqa-Mirsalim, 60, is a former minister of roads and urban development. Mr. Hashemi-Taba, 64, is a former vice president and a former ambassador to the United Nations. Mr. Mir-Salim, 60, is a former minister of industry, mines and trade.
The Guardian Council also approved 1,599 candidates for the Parliament, which will hold elections on the same day.
Iran’s Presidential Election: Who’s Running?
Iran’s presidential election is scheduled for June 18, and the Guardian Council has approved six candidates. Here’s a look at the main contenders:
Hassan Rouhani, 68