Iran’s Khamenei Backs Hardline Election Field After Backlash
- Final ballot paves way for election of hardline cleric Raisi
- Candidate vetting process has sparked widespread criticism
A man registers his candidacy for the presidential elections at the Interior Ministry with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seen in the background, in Tehran on May 11.
Photographer: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images
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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei backed a decision to limit June’s presidential election to a field of mostly hardline candidates, brushing aside warnings that a lack of real choice could undermine the legitimacy of the vote at a sensitive time for nuclear negotiations.