DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s hard-line former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad registered Sunday as a doable candidate for the presidential election, looking for to regain the nation’s prime political place after a helicopter crash killed the nation’s president.
The populist former chief’s registration places strain on Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In workplace, Ahmadinejad brazenly challenged the 85-year-old cleric, and his try to run in 2021 was barred by authorities.
The firebrand, Holocaust-questioning politician’s return comes at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran’s quickly advancing nuclear program, its arming of Russia in its conflict on Ukraine and its wide-reaching crackdowns on dissent.
Ahmadinejad is probably the most distinguished candidate to register thus far.
Related Press journalists in Tehran noticed Ahmadinejad arrive on the Inside Ministry and start the registration course of. Earlier than his arrival, his supporters chanted and waved Iranian flags. They rapidly surrounded Ahmadinejad, 67, shouting: “God is the best!”
He descended the steps on the ministry, displaying his passport as is customized to dozens of photographers and video journalists readily available for the registration course of. As a girl processed his candidacy, he sat, turned to the journalists, nodding and smiling for the cameras. He was anticipated to provide remarks after concluding his registration.
An election is deliberate June 28 to switch Khamenei’s hard-line protégé President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in Could together with seven different individuals.
Former parliament speaker Ali Larijani, a conservative with sturdy ties to Iran’s former comparatively reasonable President Hassan Rouhani, has already registered, as has former Iranian Central Financial institution chief Abdolnasser Hemmati, who additionally ran in 2021.
Who else will search to run stays in query. The nation’s appearing president, Mohammad Mokhber, beforehand a behind-the-scenes bureaucrat, might be the entrance runner as a result of he has already been seen assembly with Khamenei. Additionally mentioned as a doable aspirant is former reformist President Mohammad Khatami, however, as with Ahmadinejad, whether or not he can be allowed to run is one other query.
The five-day registration interval will shut on Tuesday, and the Guardian Council is anticipated to difficulty its last checklist of candidates inside 10 days. That can enable for a shortened two-week marketing campaign earlier than the vote in late June.
Ahmadinejad beforehand served two four-year phrases from 2005 to 2013. Below Iranian legislation, he grew to become eligible to run once more after 4 years out of workplace, however he stays a polarizing determine even amongst fellow hard-liners. His disputed re-election in 2009 sparked large “Inexperienced Motion” protests and a sweeping crackdown through which 1000’s of individuals have been detained and dozens have been killed.
Overseas, he grew to become a caricature of Western perceptions of the Islamic Republic’s worst attribute, questioning the Holocaust, insisting Iran had no homosexual or lesbian residents and hinting Iran may construct a nuclear weapon if it selected to take action.
However Ahmadinejad stays common among the many poor for his populist efforts and home-building packages. Since leaving workplace, he’s raised his profile by way of social media and written extensively publicized letters to world leaders. He’s additionally criticized authorities corruption, although his personal administration confronted graft allegations and two of his former vice presidents have been jailed.
Khamenei warned Ahmadinejad in 2017 that his standing for workplace once more can be a “polarized state of affairs” that might be “dangerous for the county.” Khamenei stated nothing throughout Ahmadinejad’s 2021 try, when his candidacy was rejected by the 12-member Guardian Council, a panel of clerics and jurists finally overseen by Khamenei. That panel has by no means accepted a girl or anybody calling for radical change to the nation’s governance.
That panel may reject Ahmadinejad once more. Nonetheless, the race to switch Raisi has but to attract a candidate with clear, overwhelming assist from Khamenei.
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Related Press author Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.
