Snap Presidential Elections Start in Iran

On June 28, snap presidential elections are taking place in Iran. The presidency is the second-highest position in the country, led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei since 1989.

The former president of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, who was elected in 2021, passed away in a helicopter crash in May 2024.

Six candidates, approved by the Guardian Council, are competing for the presidency, consisting of twelve Islamic clerics and legal experts. The presidential candidates had less than three weeks to attract voters through televised debates and campaign events across the country.

Out of 83.5 million Iranians, 61 million are eligible to vote. However, according to recent polls, more than 30 million of them are reluctant to participate in the elections. Observers link this to political pressure on opponents, as well as disappointment resulting from the economic crisis and failed reform attempts over the past decades.