Iran’s presidential election process

Iranians will vote in a snap presidential election on Friday to choose a successor to Ebrahim Raisi following his death in a helicopter crash, a contest set to be dominated by security hardliners who share his uncompromising anti-Western views.

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The president runs the country day-to-day, but real power on issues such as Iran’s nuclear programme and its foreign policy remain in the hands of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who analysts say seeks a fiercely loyal president he can trust.

Following are details of the voting process:

• Five hardliners and one low-key moderate were cleared to run for president by Iran’s hardline constitutional watchdog, the Guardian Council, out of 80 who registered to enter the contest.

• The Council, which screens candidates for their political and Islamic qualifications, is a 12-strong panel of clerics appointed by the Supreme Leader and Islamic jurists nominated by the judiciary chief and approved by parliament.

• To qualify as a candidate, presidential hopefuls must be of Iranian origin and an Iranian citizen, be considered a distinguished political or religious figure and have an unblemished record of piety and fidelity to the Islamic Republic.

• The Guardian Council bars women from standing for president, although some top clerics and human rights lawyers argue that the constitution does not exclude them.

• All Iranians aged over 18 can vote, which means that over 61 million of Iran’s more than 85 million people are eligible to cast a ballot.

• All votes will be counted manually so the final result may not be announced for two days, although partial results may appear sooner.

• If no candidate wins at least 50 percent plus one vote of all ballots cast, including blank votes, a run-off round between the top two candidates is held on the first Friday after the election result is declared.