Iran’s Former President Ahmadinejad Registers for June 28 Election
Iran’s hard-line former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad registered Sunday as a candidate for the country’s upcoming presidential election, set to be held on June 28.
Ahmadinejad’s decision to run again puts pressure on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with whom the populist former leader had a contentious relationship during his time in office from 2005 to 2013. Khamenei had previously warned that Ahmadinejad’s candidacy would create a “polarized situation” that would be “harmful for the country.”
The firebrand politician’s return comes at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran’s advancing nuclear program, its involvement in the war in Ukraine, and its crackdowns on domestic dissent. Ahmadinejad’s history of Holocaust denial and inflammatory rhetoric against the US and Israel have also made him a controversial figure on the global stage.
Speaking after registering his candidacy, Ahmadinejad promised to seek “constructive engagement” with the world and improved economic relations. He acknowledged that the country’s economic, political, and security challenges have only grown since he left office in 2013.
Ahmadinejad will face competition from other prominent figures, including former parliament speaker Ali Larijani and former central bank chief Abdolnasser Hemmati. The five-day registration period will close on Tuesday, with the Guardian Council expected to announce the final list of approved candidates within 10 days.
The June 28 election is being held to replace President Ebrahim Raisi, Khamenei’s hard-line protégé who died in a helicopter crash last month along with seven other people. The accelerated timeline means the campaign period will be just two weeks long before the vote.
Given Ahmadinejad’s polarizing history and Khamenei’s past warnings, his candidacy is far from guaranteed to be approved by the Guardian Council. However, the race to succeed Raisi has yet to produce a clear front-runner favored by the supreme leader, leaving the door open for Ahmadinejad’s potential return to Iran’s highest office.
