Iran's Reform Front has announced that it has not yet decided whether to field a candidate or take part in Iran's presidential elections scheduled for June to replace Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash on May 19.
Tehran media quoted Javad Emami, a spokesman for the Reform Front and a close figure to former President Mohammad Khatami, as saying that “reformist” politicians would discuss the election issue on Sunday.
The core of Iran's clerical regime, led by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has completely rejected “reformists” in recent elections, who have called for reforms such as greater media freedom and less military interference while remaining true to the essence of maintaining an Islamic Republic as the country's political system.
Khamenei orchestrated the 2020 elections, first packing parliament with hardliners and then helping to elect loyal cleric Ebrahim Raisi as president in 2021. Parliamentary elections in March this year also saw hundreds of candidates disqualified, further solidifying the rule of Khamenei's supporters.
“The electoral situation depends on how the government handles the June elections. The country is currently in crisis and we hope that the right path for the elections will be charted as soon as possible,” Emami said.
The Reform Front spokesman seemed to be alluding to the fact that all politicians and media are waiting for signs to know what Khamenei intends to do during the elections, i.e. whether he will allow diversity among candidates or repeat the closed model used to elect Raisi in 2021.
