## Iran Approves Six Candidates for June 28 Presidential Election
### Preselected Candidates Aim to Succeed Late President Ebrahim Raisi
The Iranian Ministry of Interior has officially announced the approval of six candidates for the upcoming presidential election scheduled for June 28. The candidates were carefully selected from an initial pool of 80 hopefuls by the Guardian Council, a constitutional body responsible for overseeing elections in Iran.
### Conservative Dominance in Candidate Roster
A majority of the approved candidates belong to the conservative political spectrum. This includes the incumbent Speaker of Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and the former nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, known for his hardline stance in international negotiations. Reformist representation is limited to a single candidate, Massoud Pezeshkian, a member of parliament.
### Approved Candidates: A Diverse Conservative Landscape
Other approved candidates encompass a range of conservative backgrounds:
– Mostafa Pourmohammadi, former Minister of Interior
– Alireza Zakaani, Mayor of Tehran
– Amirhossein Ghazizadeh-Hashemi, Vice President and head of the Martyrs’ Foundation
### Election Timeline and Campaign Guidelines
Official election campaigning commenced on Sunday upon the announcement of the approved candidates. As per electoral law, campaigning must adhere to a strict timeline, concluding 24 hours before the election date.
### Disqualified Candidates and Women’s Representation
Several high-profile figures, including former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, were notably excluded from the list of approved candidates. Additionally, all four female candidates who registered their candidacies were disqualified, perpetuating a trend of excluding women from presidential elections since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
### Voter Turnout and Significance of Elections
The Iranian presidential elections were initially scheduled for 2025 but were brought forward following the tragic death of President Raisi in a helicopter crash in May 2024. While Iran’s political system concentrates ultimate authority in the hands of the Supreme Leader, the presidential elections hold significance as the only direct popular vote for a high-ranking official.
### Succession and Caretaker President
The late President Raisi’s untimely demise led to the appointment of Vice President Mohammad Mokhber as caretaker president, in accordance with the Iranian constitution. The caretaker president will oversee the transition of power to the newly elected president.