Excitement is building in Tehran as the presidential race narrows down to four candidates, including one reformist, after two ultraconservative contenders withdrew from the election scheduled for Friday. Alireza Zakani, Tehran’s ultraconservative mayor, announced his withdrawal on social media platform X, urging fellow ultraconservatives Saeed Jalili and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to unite to fulfill the revolutionary forces’ demands. Zakani, a war veteran, had previously endorsed President Ebrahim Raisi in the 2021 election.
The Ministry of Interior also confirmed the exit of Amirhossein Ghazizadeh-Hashemi, another ultraconservative candidate and Raisi’s former vice-president. Ghazizadeh-Hashemi, a medical doctor, decided to withdraw without endorsing any specific candidate, stressing the importance of unity among conservative and ultraconservative forces.
In addition to Jalili and Ghalibaf, the remaining contenders are Mostafa Pourmohammadi, the only cleric in the race, and Massoud Pezeshkian, the sole reformist candidate supported by former president Hassan Rouhani. With the field narrowed down, anticipation grows as Iran prepares to choose its next leader.