Time up for presidential campaign in Iran

The Elections Headquarters announced that any election campaign is forbidden as of 8 am Thursday, June 27, based on the election law.

As expected, Amirhossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi withdrew his candidacy and called on the other right-wing candidates to follow suit “so that Revolution front will be strengthened.”

According to opinion polls, the main contenders are reformist Massoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf, and principlist Saeed Jalili.

Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani’s campaign spokesman has announced in case either Qalibaf or Jalili drops out in favor of the other, he would do the same to unite the principlist camp.

Although many opinion polls show that former justice and interior minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi has slim chances of winning the office, analysts believe he outshone in the five rounds of televised presidential debates with his sound argument and verbal communication.

Opinion polls say Pezeshkian, who has the backing of many heavyweights including former presidents Mohammad Khatami and Hassan Rouhani, is leading the race and in case his rivals do not form a united front, his chances of winning in the first round are high.

People will go to the polls on Friday in the snap election to pick a successor to the late President Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash last month.