Iranian Hardliner Saeed Jalili Makes Third Presidential Bid

Saeed Jalili, a figurehead of the Iranian hardliner faction and close ally to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has declared his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election.

Scheduled for June 28, the polls follow the sudden death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash. Jalili, known for his uncompromising stance and deep integration into Iran's ruling elite, filed his candidacy on Thursday, accompanied by conservative lawmaker Amir Hossein Sabeti, a former television host now turned political figure.

This marks Jalili's third attempt at the presidency, having previously contested in 2013, where he finished third, and in 2021, where he withdrew to support the late Raisi.

His background includes roles such as the head of Iran's nuclear negotiation team and multiple senior positions within the ministry of foreign affairs.

Dozens of names suggested by political factions for the upcoming election encompass a range of former high-ranking officials, including past vice presidents like Es'haq Jahangiri and Mohammad Reza Aref; Hossein Marashi, who served as the chief of staff under President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani; former Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani; Abdolnaser Hemmati, the former governor of the Central Bank; Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the current Parliament Speaker and Mohammad Sadr, a member of the Expediency Council. 

As of now, the confirmed known registrants include reformist Mostafa Kavakebian and conservative figure Saeed Jalili.