Hardline Favorite Raisi Registers for Iran's Presidential Election
Ebrahim Raisi, the former head of the Astan Quds Razavi religious foundation, with Iran’s Supreme Leader (File) Judiciary head Ebrahim Raisi, the hardline favorite in Iran’s Presidential election in June, has registered his candidacy. Raisi lost the 2017 contest to President Hassan Rouhani. However, conservatives have eroded Rouhani’s position since then, taking a majority in Parliamentary elections last year. Raisi has led in opinion polling and is considered the preferred candidate of the Supreme Leader. Hardline factions are hoping to avoid a repeat of 2013, when Rouhani won his firs...