Iran’s chief oppressor of opposition, Raisi, to run for president

Noura Bendari

Iran’s chief justice Ebrahim Raisi has vowed to bring former US president Donald Trump to court if proven guilty of involvement in the assassination of the late Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani in January 2020.

Iranian media republished Raisi’s remarks in this regard as the man prepares to run for president in the June 18 presidential elections.

Raisi has apparently been given the green light to run in the elections by Iranian Supreme Guide Ali Khamenei.

Khamenei had invited Raisi to breakfast on May 8. However, the latter did not show up at the event under the excuse that he is too shy to talk to the supreme leader about his desire to run in the elections directly.

Khamenei’s support for Raisi’s presidential bid came after 220 conservative MPs sent a message to Raisi, asking him to run in the elections.

In their message, the MPs said they viewed the chief justice as an ideal candidate for the presidency.

They also lashed out at incumbent President Hassan Rouhani.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, meanwhile, that he would not run in the elections if Raisi runs for president. He added that he would be making a disservice to the interests of the Islamic Revolution if he runs against Raisi in the elections.

Other candidates have to pull out, even if they think they are ideal, Bagher Ghalibaf said.

He added that the candidates needed to support Raisi so that the Islamic Revolution can have one candidate in the elections.