Iranians are gearing up for the final round of voting on Friday to elect a new president following the death of Ibrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May. The two remaining candidates are former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and heart surgeon and moderate Masoud Pezeshkian. The first round of voting saw no candidate securing more than 50% of the vote, leading to a runoff election. Despite widespread calls for boycotts, voter turnout remains low.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has the final say on all matters of state, with presidents able to influence the country’s policies towards the West. The election is taking place against a backdrop of regional tensions, with Iran engaged in conflicts in the Middle East and continuing uranium enrichment. The collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018 has allowed hard-liners to gain power in the government.
The election has also sparked concerns about the direction Iran will take if Jalili is elected, with fears of a “Taliban-style” government being raised. The country is facing criticisms over its past human rights violations, including mass executions in 1988 and crackdowns on dissent in the wake of protests. With 61 million eligible voters, including a significant youth population, the outcome of the election remains uncertain.
Friday’s election marks only the second presidential runoff in Iran since 1979, with historical implications for the future of the country’s leadership and policies.
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