Iran approves 6 candidates for presidential race, but again blocks Ahmadinejad
NBCMay 28
Iran Approves Six Candidates to Run for President
Above: Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iranian conservative politician, former military officer, and current Speaker of the Parliament of Iran, is showing his identification to the media on June 03, 2024 in Tehran, Iran. Image copyright: Meghdad Madadi ATPImages/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Iran on Sunday approved six mostly conservative candidates to run for the presidential election on June 28 following the death of Pres. Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash last month.
Iran's Guardian Council — which monitors elections and legislation — has approved the list, which includes parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, former chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, and Tehran's Mayor Alireza Zakani.
The Spin
Pro-Iran narrative
Those who predicted that Iran would slide into political chaos following Raisi's tragic death were proven wrong. The line-up of the six candidates to run for election is a testament to the political continuity and diversity of the Iranian political landscape. The list includes representatives from almost all political factions, and following a period of fierce competition, Iranians will choose their new president. Iran's vibrant political institutions remain strong.
Anti-Iran narrative
The unelected Guardian Council, controlled by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has approved the candidates whose profiles are similar to those who ran for the 2021 election. Moreover, all admitted candidates are conservatives or hardliners loyal to Khamenei, with only one "reformist" running to boost turnout and lend some legitimacy to the process. However, even if he wins, Khamenei and his clique will pull the strings, making the upcoming vote another sad political charade.