Introduction of Six Candidates 'Approved by the Guardian Council'; Reactions: Introduction of 'Circus Election Actors' Indicates a Narrowing Circle of Khamenei's Close Associates

The Election Headquarters of the Islamic Republic announced that Mostafa Pourmohammadi, Masoud Pezeshkian, Saeed Jalili, Alireza Zakani, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, and Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi are the six individuals whose candidacies for the 14th presidential election have been 'approved.' The upcoming election has been described by users and political observers with terms such as 'showy mobilization,' 'election circus,' 'stand-up comedy,' and 'farcical display.' According to Mohsen Islami, spokesperson for the Election Headquarters, on Sunday, June 20, 80 individuals had registered to run in the election to determine the successor to Ebrahim Raisi, of which the six mentioned were approved. The Guardian Council, which began reviewing the qualifications of registrants on June 15, announced the final list of approved candidates after five days, a list that notably excludes Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former president of the Islamic Republic, Ali Larijani, former Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and Eshaq Jahangiri, former first vice president. Some users have referred to the approval of Pourmohammadi, Pezeshkian, Jalili, Zakani, Qalibaf, and Ghazizadeh Hashemi as 'circus election actors' and interpreted the disqualification of other figures in the Islamic Republic as a sign of the narrowing circle of Ali Khamenei's close associates. Meanwhile, some users have pointed to the approval of Masoud Pezeshkian as a reformist figure and considered it a strategy by the Islamic Republic to 'create a wave' in the elections, while others argue that he is 'not a significant figure' and the government will not allow 'the previous order to be disrupted.' The 14th presidential election, which will be held due to the premature death of Ebrahim Raisi, has even been described by some government officials as 'political triviality' and 'farcical display.' Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, has warned candidates participating in this election against 'slander and mudslinging,' stating that such actions would lead to a loss of 'national dignity.' In contrast, Prince Reza Pahlavi has once again likened the elections of the Islamic Republic to a 'circus,' stating that 'the response of the great Iranian nation to this entire farce is a decisive no.' The early 14th presidential election will be held on July 8, following the helicopter crash and death of President Ebrahim Raisi. Meanwhile, many Iranians consider it a 'show and circus' and have stated that they will not participate. Additionally, the Press Supervisory Board of the Islamic Republic has issued a directive stating that publishing content encouraging 'boycotting or reducing participation in the presidential election,' as well as 'unauthorized protests, strikes, and sit-ins,' is considered criminal content.