Over 80 people have been nominated including one former president, one former Parliament speaker, 38 former and current lawmakers, 13 ex-ministers, and three current ministers. At least four women are among the registered candidates.

The election’s winner will replace Ebrahim Raisi, who embraced martyrdom during a helicopter crash in Iran’s northwestern mountainous region on May 19.

In this report, we will take a look at the most prominent figures who have signed up to contest the June 28 presidential elections.

Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf

Looking to compensate for past failures

Qalibaf has dedicated decades to serving the Islamic Republic in various roles. He is a veteran and commander of the Iran-Iraq war, a former police chief, and former Tehran mayor. Since 2020, he has held the position of parliament speaker. He was elected speaker again in the new parliament last week.
Considered a neo-conservative, Qalibaf has run for president multiple times. In 2005, he secured over 4 million votes but lost in the first round. In 2013, he came in second place with 6,077,292 votes, losing to Hassan Rouhani. Qalibaf withdrew from the 2017 elections in support of Ebrahim Raisi. It is anticipated that Qalibaf will be qualified to run for president for a 4th time.

Saeed Jalili

A polarizing force in the elections

Jalili, a well-known conservative, held the position of Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council from 2007 to 2013. He currently serves as a member of the Expediency Council.

Jalili holds a significant role in Iran’s foreign affairs. He served as Iran’s lead nuclear negotiator and previously held the post of Deputy Foreign Minister for European and American Affairs.

Jalili has twice vied for the post of president. In the 2013 elections, he finished third, garnering 11.31% of the votes. While he initially fielded candidacy for the 2021 elections, he later withdrew in favor of Ebrahim Raisi. He is expected to be qualified to run for the post.

Ali Ardeshir Larijani

Hoping for a change of heart in the Guardian Council

Larijani has tried to appeal to both ends of Iran’s political spectrum in the past decades. He was the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council from August 2005 to October 2007. He also served as parliament speaker from 2008 to 2020. Since then, Larijani has been a member of the Expediency Council, where he served from 1997 to 2008.

Larijani ran for president in 2005 without much success. He registered for candidacy in 2021 but was disqualified by the Guardian Council. He seems to be hoping to face a different fate at the vetting stage this time.

Eshaq Jahangiri

A sequel to President Rouhani’s government 

Jahangiri held the position of Vice President in Hassan Rouhani’s government from 2013 to 2021. Before that, he served as the minister of industries and mines, the governor of Isfahan Province, and a member of parliament.

A well-known reformist, Jahangiri ran for the presidency in 2017. Many observers believed that his decision to enter the race was a strategic move to bolster Rouhani during the debates as he withdrew before the voting began.

Looking ahead to the 2024 presidential elections, Jahangiri, seen as a technocrat, may face challenges in gaining approval from the Guardian Council due to past embezzlement and corruption allegations against his close family members.

Alireza Zakani

“Revolutionary tank” with experience as a mayor

Zakani has served as the mayor of Tehran since 2021. He was a member of the parliament from 2004 to 2016 and again from 2020 to 2021, aligning with conservative political views.
Despite announcing his candidacy for the presidency in 2013 and 2017, Zakani was twice disqualified by the Guardian Council. In the 2021 presidential election, he initially ran but later withdrew in favor of Raisi.
Known for his fierce criticism of opponents during the 2021 presidential debates, Zakani earned the nickname “revolutionary tank.” Observers speculate that there is a decent possibility the Guardian Council will approve his candidacy for the June 28 elections.

Abdolnaser Hemmati

Hurt by like-minded politicians

Hemmati held the position of central banker from 2018 to 2021. Prior to this role, he served as the vice president of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting from 1989 to 1994, and as the chief of the Central Insurance of Iran from 1994 to 2006 and again from 2016 to 2018.

Hemmati finished in third place during the 2021 presidential election. He is close to pro-reform groups.

A trained economist, Hemmati has received both backlash and praise for his time at the central bank. There is not much reason to believe he won’t be able to run for president a second time.

Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili

Continuing the legacy of the late president

Esmaili currently serves as the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, a position he has held since August 25, 2021. His extensive background encompasses roles such as deputy governor of Isfahan, director general of Supervision and Evaluation of IRIB Programs, and chairmanship of the Cultural and Social Commission of the Center for Strategic Studies of the Presidency.

Esmaili has been actively engaged in social and cultural activities for many years, with his involvement dating back to the 1990s when he began his cultural activities as an editor-in-chief of cultural publications.

The minister says he will continue Raisi’s endeavors if approved to compete for the presidency.

Mehrdad Bazrpash

A young politician with big dreams

Bazrpash is a conservative politician and the current Minister of Transport and Urban Development, assuming office in December 2022.  He held the position of President of the Supreme Audit Court from 2020 to 2022.

Bazrpash has also served as a member of the Parliament and the CEO of two of Iran’s largest automakers, SAIPA and Pars Khodro.

The minister was one of the youngest figures registering for candidacy last week.  Though this is the first time he has attempted to run for president, analysts believe Bazrpash’s extensive career makes it highly possible that he will become an official candidate for the 2024 presidential elections.

Masoud Pezeshkian

Modest and outspoken politician

Pezeshkian is a reformist politician and cardiac surgeon. He currently represents Tabriz, Oskoo, and Azarshahr in the Parliament, where he served as First Deputy Speaker from 2016 to 2020. He previously served as Minister of Health from 2001 to 2005 under President Mohammad Khatami.

Pezeshkian has often clashed with conservative politicians. Some of his remarks have been controversial and later found to be baseless.

While Pezeshkian is respected for his expertise in healthcare and education, observers speculate that his history of bipartisan conflict and lack of experience in operational fields may hinder his approval by the Guardian Council to run for the presidential post.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 

Dreams of a third time in office

Ahmadinejad was president from 2005 to 2013.  Before his presidency, he served a brief two-year term as the mayor of Tehran. He is now a member of the Expediency Council. Ahmadinejad has tried hard to stay in the spotlight since his presidential term ended.

Despite being considered a principlist by most, Ahmadinejad has adopted conflicting stances over the years. It is highly anticipated that his competence for the elections will not be approved. This prediction is based on the Guardian Council’s previous disqualification of Ahmadinejad when he attempted to run for president in 2021.

Abbas Ahmad Akhoundi 

Says he is “worried” for Iran

Akhoundi served as the Minister of Transport and Urban Development from 2013 to 2018. He first entered government in 1993 as the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, making him one of the youngest ministers in Iran’s modern history.

Akhoundi is a well-known pragmatist politician, but his fame mostly comes from controversies. During his tenure as the housing minister, he faced impeachment three times and submitted his resignation on three occasions. Critics have condemned him for his “liberal economic views” and for allegedly showing little concern for the less fortunate. Analysts believe he has little chance of gaining the approval of the Guardian Council in the looming presidential elections.

Mohammad Shariatmadari

A reformist frequenting different roles

Shariatmadari is a reformist figure who has held various ministerial positions in the government. He served as the Minister of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare and later as the Minister of Industry from 2017 to 2018. Additionally, Shariatmadari was the Minister of Commerce from 1997 to 2005 during President Khatami’s administration.

Shariatmadari played a crucial role in managing Iran’s relations with several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Portugal, Spain, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya, the Philippines, and Thailand for eight years.

In 2013, Shariatmadari ran for presidency but ultimately withdrew his candidacy in support of Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani before the voting commenced.

Ali Nikzad

A seasoned executive official

Ali Nikzad is a conservative currently serving in the parliament. He served as deputy parliament speaker in the previous. He was elected deputy speaker in the new parliament.

Nikzad has an extensive background in executive management, having held positions such as Minister of Transport and Urban Development, Acting Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Acting Minister of Roads and Transportation, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Tadbir Construction Development Group. He has also served as the governor of Ardabil.

Nikzad has not tried to run for the presidency in the past. He is expected to be confirmed to contest the presidential post.

Sowlat Mortazavi

A conservative with limited electoral support

Mortazavi is a conservative politician who currently serves as Minister of Labor and Social Welfare. He has held several high-ranking positions in government, including Vice President for Executive Affairs, Mayor of Mashhad, Mayor of Birjand, and head of Election Headquarters.
In June 2017, Mortazavi was suspended from his position as Mayor of Mashhad and all other political offices after he prevented an audit of the Mashhad municipality.
Analysts believe that even if Mortazavi is approved by the Guardian Council to run for president, there is little chance that he will ultimately manage to take office.

Amir Hossein Qazizadeh Hashemi

A physician that entered politics

Seyyed Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi currently serves as the Head of the Martyrs Foundation and Veterans Affairs, a position he has held since 2021. Qazizadeh holds conservative views and was appointed as vice president when President Raisi took office in 2021.

Qazizadeh has a distinguished career in politics and medicine. He has served as a representative of Mashhad and Kalat in four terms of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and was an ENT surgeon before entering politics.

Qazizadeh took part in the 2021 presidential elections and is anticipated to become an official candidate for the second time this year.

First published in Tehran Times