2017 Iranian presidential election

Iranian presidential election, 2017

19 May 2017

President before election Hassan Rouhani MDP Elected President TBD

Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in Iran on 19 May 2017. It will be the twelfth presidential election in Iran. Local elections will be held alongside of this election.

Electoral system

Scope of power

The President of Iran is the country's highest directly elected official, the chief of the executive branch, and the second most important position after the Supreme Leader. The armed forces, Chief judiciary system, state television, and other key governmental organizations are under the control of the Supreme Leader of Iran. It is also an informal custom that cabinet ministers for sensitive departments like foreign relations and intelligence are coordinated with the Supreme Leader. Of note, the current long-time Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who has been ruling for nearly three decades, has been issuing decrees and making the final decisions on economy, environment, foreign policy, national planning such as population growth, and everything else in Iran. Khamenei also makes the final decisions on the amount of transparency in elections in Iran, and has fired and reinstated Presidential cabinet appointments.

Eligibility

Any Iranian citizen born in Iran, believing in God and the official religion of Iran (Islam), who has always been loyal to the Constitution and is above 21 years of age may register as a presidential candidate. An institution called the Election Monitoring Agency (EMA) and managed by the Guardian Council vets registered candidates (in the 2009 election 36,000 people signed up as candidates) and selects a handful to run in the election. The Guardian Council does not announce publicly the reason for rejections of particular candidates although those reasons are explained to each candidate. Females who register as candidates have invariably been excluded from standing for election by the Council.

Electoral law

One of the issues that has been raised in the pre-election debate over electoral reforms, especially regarding enforcement, situations of candidates. Executive of elections under previous law was ministry of interior (Government) and there were statements about changing of maintaining law. In addition, the law provided that the candidates must be political men and the meaning of men was not known. The changes began after the protests to the previous election. According to Iranian law, candidates more than 75 years old are eligible to run but their health issues must be checked by the Guardian Council.

Timeline

According to the official dates announced on 1 April 2017 by the Ministry of Interior:

• 11 April - Start of the election process with the Minister of the Interior's order.
• 11–13 April - Establishment of Executive Boards by governors.
• 11–15 April – The official time of candidates registration.
• 15 April – The time for registration will be ended at 18:00 IRDT.
• 16 April – The Guardian Council will start vetting the registered candidates.
• 21 April – The Guardian Council will address the possible objections from disqualified candidates.
• 26–27 April – The final list of candidates will be announced.
• 28 April – Official propagation campaigns for the final candidates will begin.
• 17 May – End of campaigns.
• 19 May – Election date.

Candidates

Registered

• The incumbent President Hassan Rouhani was considered a potential candidate in 2015. On 25 October 2016, Iranian interior minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said that President Hassan Rouhani is “sure to run for a second term”. On 13 January 2017, Mahmoud Vaezi said Moderation and Development Party will back Rouhani in the election. On 13 March 2017, Council for Coordinating the Reforms Front officially announced Rouhani as their candidate. He registered on 14 April.
• In February 2017, Ebrahim Raisi was said to be backed by the Front of Islamic Revolution Stability and emerging as the conservative camp consensus candidate. A senior member of the front told press that his party tried to “persuade Ebrahim Raisi to run in the elections, but did not succeed”. On 23 February 2017, Raisi won the majority of votes during the meeting held by Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces, a newly established umbrella organization of conservatives. According to a Stratfor situation report, the event increased the likelihood that he will emerge as the eventual presidential candidate. Raisi officially announced his candidacy on 6 April 2017 in JAMNA convention.
• On 16 December 2016, Islamic Coalition Party officially announced that it will nominate Mostafa Mir-Salim for the election. He registered on 11 April 2017.
• Ghasem Sholeh-Saadi, former member of the parliament registered on 11 April 2017 as presidential candidate.
• Mehdi Khazali registered on 11 April 2017.
• Javad Golpayegani, an actor, nominated himself on 11 April 2017.
• On 18 February 2017, Hamid Baqai announced his candidacy as an independent candidate. He registered on 12 April 2017 along with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
• In late September 2016, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he won't nominate himself because the Supreme Leader warned him his candidacy would polarize Iranian society and create harmful divisions in the country. However, he registered on 12 April 2017.
• Masoud Zaribafan, a former director of Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs and member of Tehran City Council, registered on 12 April 2017.
• Khosro Nassirizadeh, secretary-general of Iran's Experts Convention, registered on 11 April 2017.
• Mohammad Ali Pourmokhtar, member of parliament, registered on 12 April 2017.
• Hooshang Amirahmadi, an Iranian-American academic announced his candidacy on 22 March 2017. He was disqualified in the 2005 and 2013 elections by the Guardian Council.
• Ahmad Kashani, former member of parliament, registered on 12 April 2017. He was rejected by the Guardian Council in two previous elections.
• On 10 November 2016, former Post Minister and 2013 independent presidential candidate Mohammad Gharazi announced he will run again in the upcoming election. He registered on 13 April 2017.
• On 13 April 2017, former Physical Education Organization and National Olympic Committee of Iran Mostafa Hashemitaba registered as an independent presidential candidate.
• Hassan Sobhani, former member of parliament, registered on 13 April 2017. He did not receive the Guardian Council's permission in the 2013 election.
• Saeed Yari, Secretary-General of 'Organization for Defending National Interests' announced his candidacy on 29 January 2017.
• Mohammad Zareh Foumani, Secretary-General of Popular Party of Reforms, announced his candidacy on 1 March 2017.
• Amrollah Sheikhiani, Secretary-General of 'People's Party' announced his candidacy on 2 March 2017.
• Mehdi Kalhor, a journalist and press advisor to former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, announced his candidacy on 4 April 2017.
• On 24 February 2017, Mostafa Kavakebian was named as the Democracy Party's nominee for the upcoming election. He registered on 14 April.
• Alireza Zakani, former member of parliament and editor-in-chief of Panjare newspaper, registered on 14 April 2017. He was considered as one of the Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces (JAMNA)'s candidates.
• Hassan Norouzi, a member of parliament, registered on 14 April 2017.
• Azam Taleghani, former member of parliament and daughter of Mahmoud Taleghani, registered on 14 April 2017 as first known female candidate. He was previously registered in 1997 and 2009 elections.

National officeholders

• 
  Hassan Rouhani
  President of Iran (campaign)
• 
  Ebrahim Raisi
  Former Attorney-General of Iran
  (campaign)
• 
  Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
  Former President of Iran
• 
  Hamid Baqai
  Former Vice President of Iran
• 
  Mostafa Mir-Salim
  Former Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance
• 
  Alireza Zakani
  Former Member of the Parliament
• 
  Mostafa Kavakebian
  Member of the Parliament
• Mohammad Gharazi Former Minister of Post and Minister of Petroleum
  Mohammad Gharazi
  Former Minister of Post and Minister of Petroleum
• 
  Mostafa Hashemitaba
  Former Vice President of Iran}
• 
  Ghasem Sholeh-Saadi
  Former Member of the Parliament
• 
  Ahmad Kashani
  Former Member of the Parliament
• 
  Hassan Sobhani
  Former Member of the Parliament
• 
  Masoud Zaribafan
  Former Vice President of Iran
• 
  Mohammad Ali Pourmokhtar
  Member of the Parliament
• Hassan Norouzi Member of the Parliament
  Hassan Norouzi
  Member of the Parliament

Others

• 
  Hooshang Amirahmadi
  President of the American Iranian Council
• 
  Mehdi Khazali
  Blogger and publisher
• 
  Khosro Nassirizadeh
  Secretary-General of Iran's Experts Convention
• 
  Mohammad Zareh Foumani
  Secretary-General of Popular Party of Reforms
• 
  Saeed Yari
  Secretary-General of Organization for Defending National Interests
• 
  Amrollah Sheikhiani
  Secretary-General of 'People's Party'
• Javad Golpayegani Actor
  Javad Golpayegani
  Actor
• 
  Mahdi Kalhor
  Journalist
• 
  Aminollah Rashidi
  Singer and composer

Officially Announced

• On 1 January 2017, MP Mohammad Mehdi Zahedi announced his nomination for the upcoming election. On 3 April 2017, Zahedi said if the Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces asks him to withdraw, he will comply.
• On 15 March 2017, Ezzatollah Zarghami announced his candidacy via his social media accounts. He said he "has felt the responsibility to fix the country’s management structure on a macro scale", accepting "the invitation of the Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces". Zarghami who was speculated as a potential candidate since late 2014, denied the possibility of his own candidacy in November 2015.
• On 6 February 2017, General Mohammad-Hassan Nami of Iranian Army, a former communications minister announced his candidacy.
• On 29 January 2017, Abdolhassan Moghtadaei, a former Governor of Khuzestan and Hormozgan Provinces announced his candidacy.
• Mohammad Ashrafi Esfahani, former member of the parliament from Kermanshah announced his candidacy on 3 March 2017.
• On 13 April 2017, Reims regional newspaper L'Union reported Hossein Homayoun Fard Mohammad Abadi, leader of Ayyaran Group, would be a candidate in the elections.

• 
  Ezzatollah Zarghami
  Former Head of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting
• 
  Mohammad Mehdi Zahedi
  Member of the Parliament
• 
  Mohammad-Hassan Nami
  Former Minister of Communication
• 
  Abdolhassan Moghtadaei
  Former Governor of Khuzestan Province
• 
  Mohammad Ashrafi Esfahani
  Former Member of the Parliament
• Hossein Homayoun Fard Mohammad Abadi Leader of Ayyaran Group
  Hossein Homayoun Fard Mohammad Abadi
  Leader of Ayyaran Group

Potential

• Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf who was speculated as a potential candidate by Stratfor, is considered as a possible candidate by the conservatives. Mohammad Reza Mirtajodini said that Ghalibaf “will run for presidential post only if all principlist groups concur on him”. Answering to the question on 7 January 2017 whether he has any plan to run for president, Ghalibaf said “We have a duty to work. The place of it is not significant”.
• YEKTA Front has officially announced that Hamid-Reza Haji Babaee and Rostam Ghasemi are its possible candidates.

• 
  Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf
  Mayor of Tehran
• 
  Rostam Ghasemi
  Former Minister of Petroleum
• 
  Hamid-Reza Haji Babaee
  Member of the Parliament

Campaign

Debates and TV programs

From 28 April to 17 May 2017, each of the final candidates has the right to use National TV and Radio (IRIB) for their presidential election campaigns. In total, each candidate will use 405 minutes on Public TV and 285 minutes on Public Radio. This time comprises the candidates' own campaign programs as well as participation in the specific discussion shows. In addition, there will be three main live group debates on TV. The debates are held in three chapters.

• Three debates with presence of all candidates. (from IRIB TV1)
• Four recorded programs for each candidates. (from IRIB TV1)
• 30 minutes live addressing. (from IRINN)
• Three 60 minutes conversation. (from Channel 3)
• One answer and question program. (from IRIB TV2)
• One conversation with Iranian diaspora. (from Jame Jam TV)

Opinion polls

Main article: Opinion polling for the Iranian presidential election, 2017

Reactions

• Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, in an interview published on 11 April 2017 said “I wouldn’t be surprised if during the Iranian election on May 19, somebody assassinates the president of Iran, Hassan Rouhani... We can say with certainty that it was an internal killing”.