Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday declared his candidacy for the upcoming elections for the office he held between 2005 and 2013, Iranian media reported.
Ahmadinejad’s controversial presidency was known for his anti-Israel and anti-Semitic statements. He was accused of denying the Holocaust and calling for the destruction of Israel.
He has recently attracted attention for critical comments about the Iranian government and is said to have fallen into disfavor with the establishment as a result.
Iranians will vote for a new president on June 28, following the death of previous incumbent President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash last month. Registration closes on Monday and according to state radio, about twenty candidates have registered so far.
The country’s Guardian Council, made up of clerics and legal experts, will then decide which candidates will emerge. In the past, only candidates considered loyal to the country’s system were allowed to run for office.
The Iranian president serves as head of government, but not as head of state. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who has been in power since 1989, has ultimate power.
Observers predict low voter turnout amid widespread disillusionment and political repression. In the parliamentary elections earlier this year, turnout reached a new low of around 40%.
