Former Reformist Parliamentarian, academic and Sunni Kurdish activist Jalal Jalalizadeh criticised the use of minorities in endorsing candidates, citing the apparent petition by 500 prominent Sunni Iranians in support of Ebrahim Raisi. Jalalizadeh said that candidates seeking Sunni votes should be genuinely committed to ending discrimination against the minority sect and active in appointing minorities to senior roles. In his ten-point plan, Jalalizadeh said representation of Sunnis in key roles should be proportionate to their population (about 10%) and that Sunni governors should be appointed in Sunni majority provinces, such as Kurdistan and Baluchistan.
Patterns of Voting among Baluch Minority
IRNA published a series of analyses from political scientists about patterns of voting in Sistan-Baluchistan province, where a large minority population of Sunni Baluch live. One local Baluch political scientist commented that ethnic Baluch tend to vote for the candidate endorsed by their tribal leader, religious leader or educated ethnic activists: “in all elections, whether of local councils or the Majles [or Presidency], a list of candidates approved by the elites, elders and [Sunni] clerics is issued by one of our religious centres, and most people vote for the same list”. Historically, minorities like the Baluch tend to vote for more moderate candidates.
Rahami: I am the new-look Khatami
Reformist figure Mohsen Rahami declared if elected, he would be a “new look Khatami with new words”. Stating that if he was allowed to run, he would win 20 million votes, he added that his most important priorities beyond the economy were the protection of the rights of minorities and women.