Khamenei Calls for Continuation of Ebrahim Raisi's 'Management Model'

Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, on Sunday called for the new President of the Islamic Republic to follow the 'management model' of Ebrahim Raisi during a meeting with members of the thirteenth government. The death of Ebrahim Raisi, the former President of Iran, in a helicopter accident led to new elections in which Massoud Pezeshkian, a candidate supported by reformists, won. Elections in Iran are far from global standards, with the majority of candidates disqualified by the Guardian Council. In his speech on Sunday, July 8, Khamenei claimed that 'the most important characteristic of Mr. Raisi was his popularity' and added that 'this should be a model for all government officials... and the characteristics of martyr Raisi can be the management model for the country.' Khamenei's call for adherence to Raisi's 'management model' comes as statistical analyses show that his presidency coincided with a rapid increase in executions in Iran alongside an unprecedented violent crackdown on public protests. The plummeting value of the national currency, the deepening housing crisis, and efforts to strengthen the influence of religious seminaries, especially in education, are other characteristics of Raisi's presidency. According to the Iranian Ministry of Interior, 30,530,157 people participated in the second round of the fourteenth presidential elections. This is while only 40% of the 61 million eligible voters participated in the first round, marking the lowest turnout in any presidential election since the 1979 revolution. In his first speech as the winner of the fourteenth presidential election, Massoud Pezeshkian stated that if it were not for the leader of the Islamic Republic, 'I do not think our name would come out of the ballot box so easily.' Khamenei's emphasis on continuing Raisi's 'model' comes at a time when reformist groups in Iran hope for 'changes' through Massoud Pezeshkian. The main power in the Islamic Republic lies with the leader, who can determine the direction of any elections or domestic and foreign policies using the tools and institutions under his control.