The clerical regime in Iran continues to consolidate power in its hands. In the face of intense external pressure and the complex situation in the Middle East, the country is preparing for early presidential elections, preparing the landscape for a future president and supreme leader.
On Sunday 19 May, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died in tragic circumstances. The first day of Middle East Week began with news that shocked the region.
According to the Islamic Republic’s constitution, a new president must be elected within 50 days. Candidate registration begins on 30 May and voting begins on 28 June.
Although the Iranian president is not a head of state in the conventional sense, and the functions of head of state are performed by the supreme leader, the post is an elected one and, like the recent parliamentary vote in the IRI, it reflects the mood of the street as well as the position of the Iranian establishment.
Difficult domestic political situation and degradation of the socio-economic situation
The current circumstances pose a difficult dilemma for the country’s current leadership. In addition to Western economic sanctions, Tehran is under enormous external political pressure. In recent years, the Iranian leadership has faced unprecedented condemnation of the political processes taking place within the republic.
The late Raisi, for example, was repeatedly accused of eliminating rivals and committing ‘fraud’ during the election campaign. At the same time, the most recent presidential elections in 2021, as well as the parliamentary elections in the spring of 2024, were described by Western observers as illegitimate due to extremely low voter........