Conservative Candidates Dominate Iran's Presidential Candidate List (2024)

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Iran's Guardian Council approved six presidential candidates who will compete in the June 28 election. Conservative candidates dominate.

TEHERAN, MONDAY — Iran's Guardian Council has decided that six potential candidates Iranian president are eligible to take part in the presidential election scheduled for June 28 2024. Most of the candidates are seen as being in the conservatives who are close to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The news agency Iran, IRNA, Sunday (9/6/2024), reported that the spokesman for Iran's Election Management Office, Mohsen Eslami, had announced the names. They are former Justice Minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi, former Health Minister Massoud Pezeshkian, Chairman of the Martyrs and Veterans Affairs Foundation Amirhossein Ghazizadeh-Hashemi, Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani, former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.

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Out of the six individuals, only one is considered moderate and has received approval from the Council of Guardians. Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did not get the green light to participate in the upcoming race. There is no explanation regarding the removal of several registrants, including Ahmadinejad.

In the 2021 election, the Council of Guardians disqualified a number of reformist and moderate figures ahead of the presidential election. The 2021 presidential election was won by Ebrahim Raisi. Raisi died in a helicopter accident on May 19, 2024. This election will choose Raisi's successor.

Eslami stated that the campaign period will run until June 26. The campaign period will likely include candidate debates that are broadcasted live by Iran's government-owned broadcasting institutions.

Conservative

Out of the six candidates, the most prominent one is Qalibaf (62). He previously ran as a presidential candidate in the 2005 and 2013 elections, but was unsuccessful. He also attempted to run in the 2017 election but withdrew and supported Raisi's candidacy.

The leadership of Qalibaf was recognized by many during his tenure as mayor of Tehran in 2005, replacing Ahmadinejad. Summarized from various sources, he built his leadership reputation by developing the public transportation system and various road facilities in the capital city. In addition, he beautified Tehran with many parks and held many contemporary art activities.

Qalibaf has a military background and served during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, which eventually led him to become a senior officer in the Air Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps with the rank of general.

However, his excellent achievement as the Mayor of Tehran was tarnished after his track record surfaced in the Revolutionary Guard's efforts to suppress the Iranian student movement in 1999. While serving as the head of the Iranian police, he was also mentioned as ordering the use of live bullets to disperse student demonstrations.

If I don't register, the work we have started to solve the economic problems of the people in the popular government (Raisi) and revolutionary parliament will not be completed.

Khamenei is suspected of supporting Qalibaf's candidacy. Khamenei's speech on Monday (3/6/2024) suggested this as he discussed Qalibaf's leadership qualities.

Qalibaf, when registering his candidacy with the Ministry of Home Affairs, stated that he would continue the same leadership patterns and policies as Raisi and the late officer of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, General Qassem Soleimani. He emphasized that he would not allow any "mismanagement" to occur against Iran again.

"If I do not register, the work we have started to solve the people's economic problems in the popular government (Raisi) and the revolutionary parliament will not be completed," said Qalibaf.

Another strong candidate is Jalili (58), a former senior nuclear negotiator for Iran. He has a long track record in negotiations and diplomacy. He previously served as director-general at the Office of Iran's Supreme Leader in 2001.

Jalili was later recruited by Ahmadinejad to serve as his advisor. He was then appointed as Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Europe and America in 2005.

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The tough stance and approach regarding Iran's interests during the negotiations on the nuclear program are seen by some Western diplomats as a hindrance. Analysts also believe that he has the support of conservative groups, especially the Revolutionary Guard elite.

Even so, he is considered to have weaknesses in economic management. In fact, this is what Iran needs right now.

Meanwhile, Hashemi once ran for president in 2021 but did not receive much support from voters. In the election, he finished last after getting less than 1 million votes.

The only candidate seen as moderate is Pezeshkian. Even so, he was seen as not having much of a chance.

This presidential election was held amid increasing tensions between Iran and Western countries regarding a number of Tehran's policies. These issues include allegations that Raisi's government helped Russian weapons in the war with Ukraine. Apart from that, Western countries also assess that Iran's support for a number of resistance groups in the Middle East has expanded conflicts in the region.

(AP/AFP)