Iran held a presidential election on the 28th, and the people expect the new president's decision to be in line with the national interest and not influenced by foreign forces, and at the same time hope to improve the economic situation, reduce the inflation rate, and control exchange rate fluctuations. This follows the death of Iranian President Raisi in a helicopter accident in May, and the country's constitution provides for the first vice president to temporarily assume the presidency. The Iranian people have been subjected to sanctions for many years, affecting all sectors of the economy, including the food industry.
What is Iran's presidential election system like?
Presidential elections in Iran are held every four years, and the president is elected by direct vote of the voters. According to the Iranian Constitution, presidential candidates must have Iranian citizenship, be over 18 years old, profess Islam, and abide by the principles of the Constitution and theocracy. The election process usually involves the registration of candidates, election campaigns, voter voting, and the announcement of results. Voters go to the polls on Election Day and vote for the candidates they support. It should be noted that the specific electoral system and details may be adjusted and changed according to Iran's laws and regulations and the actual situation.
Due to the unexpected death of President Raisi, Iran's presidential election was held early, and voting officially began on June 28. Of the four candidates, Kalibav is seen as the top favourite, Jalili is a hard-line conservative, and Pezeshkian's ideas are palatable to reformist supporters, but reformist supporters have low voting participation. Jalili's supporters, most of whom come from heavily religious families, voted aggressively. Some among the conservatives called for Jalili or Kalibaf to step out to ensure a smooth victory for the conservatives, but both said they would stay the course. Pezeshkian could go to a second round of voting with Kalibav or Jalili, and if someone leaves before, the first round could produce a final result. Pezeshkian's biggest enemy is the voting participation of his supporters, and as things stand, his victory is unlikely.
Iran's Supreme Spiritual Leader, Ayatollah Ali Ali Khamenei, spoke on June 25 in which he hoped that the people would elect the most qualified candidates with maximum participation and that a high turnout would prevail over criticism from enemy countries. He also suggested that candidates must ensure that if elected, the team members selected cannot be those who oppose the system and have a favorable opinion of the United States, because those who have a favorable opinion of the United States and believe that the country cannot move forward without the support of the United States cannot be good colleagues of the new president.
Presidential elections