2nd Candidate Drops Out Of Race In Effort To Boost Hardliners' Prospects

A second candidate for the Iranian presidency has dropped out of the race ahead of the 28 June election. On the evening of 26 June former vice president and head of the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs Amirhossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi announced his withdrawal from the race. This has been followed on 27 June by the withdrawal of Mayor of Tehran Alireza Zakani.

• Neither were viewed as strong challengers for the presidency. Both conservative hardliners, Zakani called on the two prominent conservative candidates - Saeed Jalili and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf - to unite their campaigns in an effort to ensure the lone reformist in the race - Masoud Pezeshkian - does not emerge victorious. Zakani called on both 'principalists' to "not leave the revolutionary forces' rightful demands unanswered and prevent the formation of Rouhani's third government." [Hassan Rouhani served as Iranian president from 2013-21 and was the last reformist (moderate) to hold the presidency].

A PDF briefing on the election can be found here:

MNIPOLITICALRISK-IranPresidentialElection.pdf