Molavi Abdol-Hamid Does Not Support Any Candidate…Yet

A spokesman for Molavi Abdol-Hamid Esma’il-Zahi, considered the most senior Sunni religious leader in Iran, said that the Friday Imam of the Zahedan Mosque has not determined if he will support any candidate at this stage. The question came after another senior Sunni leader endorsed Ebrahim Raisi this week, and amid rumours that Raisi’s campaign team had met with Abdol-Hamid in Zahedan at the end of May. Abdol-Hamid endorsed Hassan Rouhani in 2013, which led to a large percentage of Iran’s Sunni minority, especially in Baluchistan, to vote for him.

Read more at Eghtesad.

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IRIB Grants Raisi Extra Rebuttal Time, Hemmati Protests

A representative for Ebrahim Raisi wrote to the Election Campaign section of the IRIB, the national broadcaster, asking for addition airtime for Raisi to respond to statements made by Mohsen Mehr-Alizadeh and Abdol-Naser Hemmati. The IRIB responded, granting Raisi an additional five minutes in the second debate. Hemmati tweeted in outrage, saying that if Raisi is granted five extra minutes to respond to slander, then he deserves at least 20 extra minutes to respond to false accusations from the “cover candidates”, meaning the five candidates other than Raisi.

Read about the IRIB decision at Hamshahri
Read Hemmati’s response on Twitter

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Soleimani’s Daughter: I Am Not Part of Raisi’s Campaign, I Don’t Support a Candidate

In response to an article that called upon the family of Qasem Soleimani to support the campaign of Ebrahim Raisi, the late Qods Force Commander’s daughter, Zeinab Soleimani stated, “reports of my involvement with Mr Raisi’s campaign are lies and as I have said before, Commander Soleimani’s family will not support any candidate in the election”. Zeinab Soleimani asked all candidates to refrain from misusing her late father’s name and legacy in their campaigning.

Read more at Khabaronline

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Zakani: I Am the Leader of the Reformists

Conservative candidate Ali-Reza Zakani described himself as the head of the Reformists, saying he has done a great deal towards reforming and transforming the country. However, he clarified what he meant by adding “if we consider the Reformists as a political sect, they have sabotaged so much that I believe society does not give acknowledge them”. Zakani also once again reacted angrily when asked if he was a cover candidate for Ebrahim Raisi.

Read more at Eghtesad

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Turkmen Sunni Leader Endorses Raisi

Haj Akhund Galdi Kamali, a senior member of the Sunni jurisprudential council of Iran, told his congregation in North Khorasan province to vote for Ebrahim Raisi. The Haj Akhund said “all of you dear Turkmen people of North Khorasan, wherever you are and whatever your inclination and thoughts, are expected to be an enthusiastic and public presence at the ballot box with your vote for Ayatollah Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi on Friday the 18th” of June.

Read more at MashreghNews

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Mehr-Alizadeh on Clubhouse

Reformist candidate Mohsen Mehr-Alizadeh appeared on Clubhouse to outline his plans for government and answer questions. On his government, he promised to increase subsidies for the lowest income earners, and added that he planned to include three women in his cabinet. Mehr-Alizadeh also said that he hoped that Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif would be involved in his administration. Mehr-Alizadeh fielded questions on ethnic issues in Iran, saying that he was “a son of Azerbaijan” and a “son-in-law of Isfahan”, arguing that all Iranians were worried about their country, regardless of ethnic, language or tribal differences. Mehr-Alizadeh also took aim at Ebrahim Raisi, accusing him of being responsible for the 2014 acid attacks in Isfahan.

Read more at Borna

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