Masses of student, professional and civil activist groups have called for a boycott of the upcoming presidential election in Iran, slamming the candidates as "known criminals".

A joint statement issued by 12 student organizations criticised the presidential candidates, describing them as "a handful of known criminals against the Iranian people, returning to the scene for the presidency of a government at war with its people."

The signatories labeled the presidential election as a "farce," arguing that the candidates approved by the Guardian Council do not represent the Iranian people. They say that the candidates are "merely tools and mechanisms for appointing another perpetrator of crimes against humanity to the presidency."

The statement further asserted the lack of true choice in the candidates, selected ultimately by the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamanei. "Elections in the Islamic Republic are appointments from among the regime's agents who are committed to maintaining the policies of the Islamic dictatorship based on misogyny, imprisonment, torture, and execution," the groups said.

Six candidates will stand in the snap elections on June 28, after the sudden death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a freak helicopter crash. Only one is from the reformist camp, though even he has been accused with moving closer to Khamenei in a bid to win the seat.