Iranian clerics back Khamenei adviser for president
Ali Akbar Velayati, close to Supreme Leader, gains advantage over Tehran mayor before Friday's elections
An influential Iranian clerical body has announced its support for presidential candidate Ali Akbar Velayati in the June 14 election.
A Sunday report by the semi-official Mehr news agency quoted the Association of Teachers of Qom Seminary as saying the association decided to support Velayati, current foreign adviser for Iran’s Supreme Leader.
The association is seen an important reference body for many conservatives and average Iranian voters who are devout.
The decision is a blow to Tehran mayor Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who was campaigning in a coalition with Velayati.
Qalibaf is widely popular in Tehran for the major improvements he made to the city during his tenure as mayor, according to Will Fulton, Iran analyst at the American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project.
“He is seen as a capable administrator,” said Fulton, noting that it is an important attribute for Iranians concerned about the struggling economy. “An [Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps] war hero and former IRGC Air Force commander, he is also part of a network of the senior-most IRGC commanders.”
Velayati, for his part, has promised better relations with the world and criticized Iran’s current positions in talks with the West over its disputed nuclear program. He served as foreign minister from 1981-1997, is one of eight candidates.
Still, the elections are heavily controlled.
“The spectrum of candidates was narrowed to a small band of individuals who are fully supportive of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, to varying degrees, during the Guardian Council vetting process,” Fulton pointed out. “Even one of the fathers of the revolution, Hashemi Rafsanjani, was disqualified because he poses a threat to Khamenei’s absolute authority. It cannot be seen as a free election.”