Ex-Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad joins presidential election race

3 weeks ago

TEHRAN: Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has registered his candidacy for the upcoming snap presidential election after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, reported Sputnik quoting state media on Sunday.

Ahmadinejad entered the interior ministry’s building that houses election headquarters to register as a candidate, according to the report.

Meanwhile, Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili has also entered the race for the snap presidential election according to an Iranian news agency Fars report on Sunday.

Esmaili entered the interior ministry’s building that houses election headquarters to register as a candidate, the report read.

A number of prominent Iranian politicians also joined the campaign, including former parliament chairman Ali Larijani and Central Bank Governor Abdul Nasser Hemmati, among others, Iranian media reported.

Under article 131 of Iran’s constitution, a presidential election must be held within 50 days of the declaration of the death or incapacity of the president and the transfer of duties to the first vice president. This position is currently held by Mohammad Mokhber.

Under the approved electoral calendar, the registration of candidates will take place from May 30 to June 3, and eligibility checks will be conducted from June 4 to 10. The final list of candidates will be announced on June 11, Mehr reported.

Campaigning will be allowed for two weeks, from June 12 to June 26. A “day of silence” will be declared one day before the elections, during which campaigning is prohibited. The presidential election will take place on June 28. The second round, if necessary, will be held on July 5.