Rift Among Conservatives Ahead of Elections; Steadfast Refuses to Collaborate with Jamna

Simultaneously with the release of a statement from the Steadfast Front, a conservative group emphasizing non-cooperation with the coalition known as the "Popular Front of the Revolutionary Forces," Ezzatollah Zarghami, a conservative presidential candidate, has asked Jamna to replace candidates Ibrahim Raisi and Parviz Fattah with others. After Morteza Aqa Tehrani, the Secretary-General of the Steadfast Front, announced that this group would not cooperate with the "Islamic Revolutionary Forces Popular Front," the Steadfast Front emphasized in a statement on Sunday, April 20, that it has "no plans to join new political groups for participation in the presidential elections." This conservative political group has promised to announce its positions in the presidential elections in the coming days. Previously, it was reported that Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazdi, referred to as the "spiritual father of the Steadfast Front," stated that he would not accept "any coalition" in the 96 presidential elections and would not promise support for any candidate. However, on Sunday, Ezzatollah Zarghami, a conservative figure preparing for candidacy in the presidential elections, welcomed Ibrahim Raisi's candidacy but suggested to Jamna that they introduce another candidate instead of Mr. Raisi. Zarghami, who is not among the five selected candidates of Jamna, expressed hope in a letter to this coalition that Mr. Raisi's candidacy would "bring warmth and vitality" to the presidential elections, but at the same time considered Mr. Raisi's emphasis on candidacy "independent of political groupings" as a clear sign of his "demarcation" from the "Islamic Revolutionary Forces Popular Front." In his letter, this conservative figure recommended that to "strengthen" the Popular Front of the Revolutionary Forces, instead of Ibrahim Raisi and the fifth candidate who explicitly protested his inclusion in the list of candidates of this group, the next two candidates, Hamidreza Hajibabaei and Ali Nikzad, should be substituted. In the meeting on Thursday of the "Islamic Revolutionary Forces Popular Front," known as Jamna, Ibrahim Raisi, Parviz Fattah, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Alireza Zakani, and Mehrdad Bazrpash were selected as the top five candidates of this group, and it was stated that the final candidate of this group would be chosen from among these five. In response to this issue, the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation, headed by Parviz Fattah, announced in a statement that he "has no intention or plan to run in the elections and will not do so," and his absence from the meeting of the Islamic Revolutionary Forces was for this reason. However, while Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi, the spokesperson for Jamna, thanked Mr. Fattah on Sunday for what she called "good faith, attention, and rational behavior," a new list of the five candidates of this coalition was announced late Sunday night, in which, referring to the recounting of votes, Hamidreza Hajibabaei replaced Parviz Fattah. This coalition has not officially responded to Ezzatollah Zarghami's letter, and in the list announced on Sunday night, Ibrahim Raisi's name still appears. Ibrahim Raisi's emphasis on independent candidacy in the elections comes while Soulat Mortazavi, the mayor of Mashhad, announced on Thursday, April 17, at the meeting of the "Islamic Revolutionary Forces" on behalf of Mr. Raisi that he would run in the presidential elections. However, the Fars news agency, after this meeting, quoted "an informed source" in Mr. Raisi's office as saying that he "did not have a spokesperson to announce his candidacy at the conference." Meanwhile, Hossein Marashi, the spokesperson for the Kargozaran Sazandegi Party, in an interview with the Sunday edition of Shargh newspaper, said: "Mr. Raisi is also aware that Jamna cannot cover all conservatives and cannot have a positive point for him in public opinion. Mr. Raisi has more resources than Jamna." He also emphasized that Mr. Raisi's candidacy is "very positive" for Hassan Rouhani. Gholamhossein Karbaschi, the Secretary-General of the Kargozaran Sazandegi Party, also stated in an interview with the Saturday edition of Shargh newspaper regarding Mr. Raisi's candidacy that people in this election are looking for candidates' programs. He emphasized that "governing the country is different from managing a central organization like Astan Quds, where people work with love and devotion and dedicate their offerings to Astan; it is different from a government that is in a position to respond to demands." Ibrahim Raisi has previously had no managerial experience in high government positions and has held positions such as the First Deputy of the Judiciary and the Attorney General. Ibrahim Raisi, who is a former judicial official, was previously a member of the decision-making committee for the executions of the 1980s, and Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri mentioned his role in a voice recording released months ago by Ahmad Montazeri, his son. However, Mr. Raisi has not yet reacted directly to this issue. In this context, Ibrahim Raisi announced that he would run for the presidential election. Hassan Rouhani criticized the "destruction and slander" against his government ahead of the elections. An advisor to Rouhani attacked Ahmadinejad's group and Jamna candidates. Mohsen Rezaei stated that continuing Rouhani's government would turn Iran into a second Sudan. Ali Younesi warned that if Hassan Rouhani fails, a "catastrophe" will be repeated. Qalibaf spoke about the necessity of efforts to change Hassan Rouhani. Follow the special page for the 96 elections for news and reports related to the 96 elections.