Iran opens registration process for presidential race

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) - Iran on Thursday opened registration process for candidates hoping to run in the June 28 presidential election, to replace Ebrahim Raisi who was killed in a helicopter crash earlier this month, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said the five-day registration period will be followed by a week-long review of applications. All candidates must be approved by 12-member Guardian Council.

The presidential vote was originally slated for 2025, but was brought forward following Raisi's unexpected death on May 19. He had won the 2021 presidential election.

The crash also resulted in the deaths of Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, as well as that of Malik Rahmeti, the governor of East Azerbaijan province, and Imam Ayatollah Ali Hashim of Tabriz province.

Mohammad Mokhber, Iran's first vice president, was appointed acting president after the crash.