Iranian citizens are taking part in the country’s presidential election today. Incumbent President Hassan Rouhani has four candidates running to succeed him, three of whom are said to be “hardliners”.
According to the details, voting for Iran’s new presidential election began on Friday morning, June 18, and will continue till the evening. There are many candidates in the fray in this election, but the competition is between the conservative Shiite cleric Ebrahim Raisi and the moderate former Central Bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati.
However, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s favorite candidate is Ebrahim Raisi, and according to all polls, he has a better chance of success.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei cast his ballot in Tehran on Friday morning and called on the people to cast their ballots in large numbers. “Each vote counts … come and vote and choose your president … this is important for the future of your country,” he said. “Low turnout will increase the pressure of the enemies.”
Why is there a coronavirus vaccine shortage in Pakistan?
He added: “Whatever the Iranian people do until the evening of polling day today is important for the future of the country. People have been seen going to the polls since morning to cast their votes.
However, the country is struggling with inflation amid economic woes and high unemployment. Due to some political restrictions, the number of candidates is also small, so the youth are not as enthusiastic about the elections as they should be.
Talking to AFP, Nasrullah, a mechanic from Tehran, said, “I am not a politician and I do not understand politics. I don’t have any money All the families are going through this difficult time. How can we vote for the people who have done this to us? Am I not right?”
GACA issues important instructions for foreign travelers
According to analysts, the young generation in Iran wants real democracy and therefore is not showing much interest in the political process.
Who are the candidates?
- Ebrahim Raisi
- Abdolnaser Hemmati
- Mohsen Rezaei
- Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi
However, on Thursday, Saeed Jalili, hardline lawmaker Ali Raza Zakani and a member of the Board of Directors of the Kish Free Economic Zone, Mohsen Mehr Ali Zada announced their withdrawal from the contest.
Facebook to roll out a new feature next week
Ebrahim Raisi won 38% of the vote in the 2017 election and was defeated by President Hassan Rouhani. According to the constitution, no candidate can run for the presidency for the third time in a row, so President Rouhani is out of the race this time. According to reports, Raisi is also a favorite candidate of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. All polls suggest that hardliner Raisi will win the presidential election.
“It’s the right of the people to be upset and perhaps some have been upset by the current situation, but I’m asking all of the Iranian people to come to the polls to solve the problems,” Raisi wrote in a tweet.
The new president and complex relations with the Western world
International observers and diplomats believe the June 18 presidential election will have a direct impact on the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. Until now, the world has been in talks with the moderate President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, however now, after eight years in the presidency, the sun of spiritual power is setting.
Trudeau nominates first non-white judge in Canadian history
Analysts believe that hardline candidates were targeting the United States (US) during the election campaign in the face of economic sanctions, and that the success of such a candidate could make negotiations difficult. Observers believe the talks could face new obstacles once the hardline president takes office.
Iran is currently seeking a change in the tough economic sanctions imposed under the Trump administration, and the other side, the global powers wants to tighten oversight of Iran’s nuclear program as well as limit its uranium stockpile.
Stay tuned to Baaghi TV for latest news and updates!