Bobby Ghosh, Columnist

Iran’s ‘Hard-Liner in Chief’ Is Only Vote That Counts

Khamenei, not Trump, will determine the outcome of Friday's parliamentary elections.

February 20, 2020 at 4:59 AM UTC

Bobby Ghosh is a senior editor in the digital weekend team. Previously, he was a columnist at Bloomberg Opinion, where he wrote mostly about international affairs and culture.

Only one person’s vote really matters.
Photographer: Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images

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When the results come in from tomorrow’s parliamentary elections in Iran, they will likely show a sweeping victory for the hard-line faction of its political establishment. This outcome will lead many Tehranologists to conclude that President Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran has empowered the hard-liners and doomed the prospect of a new nuclear deal.

They will be wrong on both counts.