Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has registered to run for president in the upcoming election on June 28, 2024.
The election was called after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash last month.
Kabul 24: Ahmadinejad, a hardline former president, previously served two terms from 2005 to 2013 but was barred from running in the 2017 election by the Guardian Council.
Ahmadinejad’s Political History
Ahmadinejad is a former member of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards and was first elected as president in 2005.
In 2013, he stepped down due to term limits, but a rift developed between him and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after Ahmadinejad explicitly advocated checks on Khamenei’s ultimate authority.
In 2018, Ahmadinejad wrote a rare criticism directed at Khamenei, calling for “free” elections.
Candidate Vetting Process
The Guardian Council, a cleric-led body, will vet candidates and publish the list of qualified ones on June 11, 2024.
Ahmadinejad could be barred from the race, as the Guardian Council has previously prevented him from running in the 2017 election.
In 2017, Khamenei warned Ahmadinejad that entering the race was “not in his interest and that of the country”.
The upcoming Iranian presidential election on June 28, 2024, has gained significant attention with the registration of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Despite his previous barring from the 2017 election and the rift between him and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ahmadinejad’s decision to run again has raised questions about the political landscape in Iran.
The Guardian Council’s vetting process will determine whether Ahmadinejad will be allowed to participate in the election, which was called after the tragic death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash last month.
