Iranian presidential election, 2013
Encyclopedia
The eleventh election of the President of Iran
is scheduled to be held in June 2013 to elect the successor of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
was held on 12 June 2009, with incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad running against three challengers. The next morning the Islamic Republic News Agency
, Iran's official news agency, announced that with two-thirds of the votes counted, Ahmadinejad had won the election with 62% of the votes cast, and that Mir-Hossein Mousavi
had received 34% of the votes cast. The European Union, the United Kingdom the United States, and several western countries expressed concern over alleged irregularities during the vote
, and many analysts and journalists from the United States, Europe and other western based media voiced doubts about the authenticity of the results. Meanwhile many OIC
member states, as well as Russia, China, India, and Brazil, have congratulated Ahmadinejad on his victory.
Mousavi issued a statement saying, "I'm warning that I won't surrender to this charade," and urged his supporters to fight the decision, without committing acts of violence. Protests, in favour of Mousavi and against the alleged fraud
, broke out in Tehran
. Supreme Leader
Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei
urged the nation to unite behind Ahmadinejad, labeling his victory as a "divine assessment". Mousavi lodged an official appeal against the result to the Guardian Council on 14 June. On 15 June, Khamenei announced there would be an investigation into vote-rigging claims, which would take seven to ten days. On 16 June, the Guardian Council
announced it will recount the votes. However, Mousavi stated that 14 million unused ballots were missing, giving a chance to manipulate the results. On 29 June, Iran's electoral board completed the partial recount, and concluded that Ahmadinejad won the election, amidst protest from the opposition.
The President of Iran
is the highest official elected by direct popular vote, but does not control foreign policy or the armed forces. Candidates have to be vetted by the Guardian Council
, a twelve member body consisting of six clerics (selected by Iran's Supreme Leader
) and six lawyers (proposed by the head of Iran's judicial system and voted in by the Parliament).
The inauguration of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was held on 5 August in Tehran amid protests held outside the Parliament.
President of Iran
The President of Iran is the highest popularly elected official in, and the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Iran; although subordinate to the Supreme Leader of Iran, who functions as the country's head of state...
is scheduled to be held in June 2013 to elect the successor of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Last Election
Iran's tenth presidential electionIranian presidential election, 2009
Iran's tenth presidential election was held on 12 June 2009, with incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad running against three challengers. The next morning the Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran's official news agency, announced that with two-thirds of the votes counted, Ahmadinejad had won the election...
was held on 12 June 2009, with incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad running against three challengers. The next morning the Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamic Republic News Agency
The Islamic Republic News Agency , or IRNA, is the official news agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is government-funded and controlled under the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. The agency also publishes the newspaper Iran. , the Managing Director of IRNA is Ali Akbar...
, Iran's official news agency, announced that with two-thirds of the votes counted, Ahmadinejad had won the election with 62% of the votes cast, and that Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Mir-Hossein Mousavi Khameneh is an Iranian reformist politician, artist and architect who served as the seventy-ninth and last Prime Minister of Iran from 1981 to 1989. He was a Reformist candidate for the 2009 presidential election and eventually the leader of the opposition in the post-election...
had received 34% of the votes cast. The European Union, the United Kingdom the United States, and several western countries expressed concern over alleged irregularities during the vote
Electoral fraud
Electoral fraud is illegal interference with the process of an election. Acts of fraud affect vote counts to bring about an election result, whether by increasing the vote share of the favored candidate, depressing the vote share of the rival candidates or both...
, and many analysts and journalists from the United States, Europe and other western based media voiced doubts about the authenticity of the results. Meanwhile many OIC
Organisation of the Islamic Conference
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Upon the groups's renaming, some sources provided the English-language translation "Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation", but and have since indicated the preferred English translation omits the "the". is an international organisation consisting of 57...
member states, as well as Russia, China, India, and Brazil, have congratulated Ahmadinejad on his victory.
Mousavi issued a statement saying, "I'm warning that I won't surrender to this charade," and urged his supporters to fight the decision, without committing acts of violence. Protests, in favour of Mousavi and against the alleged fraud
2009 Iranian election protests
Protests following the 2009 Iranian presidential election against the disputed victory of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and in support of opposition candidates Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi occurred in major cities in Iran and around the world starting June 13, 2009...
, broke out in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
. Supreme Leader
Supreme Leader of Iran
The Supreme Leader of Iran is the highest ranking political and religious authority in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The post was established by the constitution in accordance with the concept of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists...
Ayatollah
Ayatollah
Ayatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Ali Khamenei
Ali Khamenei
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khāmene’i is the Supreme Leader of Iran and the figurative head of the Muslim conservative establishment in Iran and Twelver Shi'a marja...
urged the nation to unite behind Ahmadinejad, labeling his victory as a "divine assessment". Mousavi lodged an official appeal against the result to the Guardian Council on 14 June. On 15 June, Khamenei announced there would be an investigation into vote-rigging claims, which would take seven to ten days. On 16 June, the Guardian Council
Guardian Council
The Guardian Council of the Constitution , also known as the Guardian Council or Council of Guardians, is an appointed and constitutionally-mandated 12-member council that wields considerable power and influence in the Islamic Republic of Iran....
announced it will recount the votes. However, Mousavi stated that 14 million unused ballots were missing, giving a chance to manipulate the results. On 29 June, Iran's electoral board completed the partial recount, and concluded that Ahmadinejad won the election, amidst protest from the opposition.
The President of Iran
President of Iran
The President of Iran is the highest popularly elected official in, and the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Iran; although subordinate to the Supreme Leader of Iran, who functions as the country's head of state...
is the highest official elected by direct popular vote, but does not control foreign policy or the armed forces. Candidates have to be vetted by the Guardian Council
Guardian Council
The Guardian Council of the Constitution , also known as the Guardian Council or Council of Guardians, is an appointed and constitutionally-mandated 12-member council that wields considerable power and influence in the Islamic Republic of Iran....
, a twelve member body consisting of six clerics (selected by Iran's Supreme Leader
Supreme Leader of Iran
The Supreme Leader of Iran is the highest ranking political and religious authority in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The post was established by the constitution in accordance with the concept of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists...
) and six lawyers (proposed by the head of Iran's judicial system and voted in by the Parliament).
The inauguration of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was held on 5 August in Tehran amid protests held outside the Parliament.
Conservatives
- Ali LarijaniAli LarijaniAli Ardashir Larijani is an Iranian philosopher, politician and the chairman of the Iranian parliament. Larijani was the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council from August 15, 2005 to October 20, 2007, appointed to the position by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,replacing Hassan Rowhani...
, Chairman of Parliament (since 2008) - Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, Mayor of Tehran (since 2005)
- Parviz DavoodiParviz DavoodiParviz Davoodi is an Iranian hardline conservative politician.He was born in Tehran to an Iranian Azeri family from Astara, Ardebil, northern Iran. He served as the First Vice President of Iran from September 11, 2005 to July 17, 2009. He is also an economist at Shahid Beheshti University....
, First Vice President (2005-2009) - Esfandiar Rahim MashaeiEsfandiar Rahim MashaeiEsfandiar Rahim Mashaei is a top adviser, and close confident of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He is currently Ahmadinejad's Chief of Staff. He served as the head of the Presidential Center from 2009 to 2011, and was First Vice President of Iran for one week in 2009 before he was ordered...
, First Vice President (2009) - Mohammad-Reza Rahimi, First Vice President (since 2009)
- Ali Akbar VelayatiAli Akbar VelayatiAli Akbar Velayati is an Iranian politician, academic and diplomat. He was the Foreign Minister of Iran from 1981 to 1997...
, Minister of Foreign Affairs (1981-1997) - Mohammad-Reza Bahonar, Deputy Speaker of Parliament (2004-2010)
- Manouchehr MottakiManouchehr MottakiManouchehr Mottaki is an Iranian politician and diplomat. He was the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Whilst technically appointed by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he is considered to be closer to more pragmatic conservative factions and during the 2005 presidential election, he was the campaign...
, Minister of Foreign Affairs (2005-2010) - Mostafa Mohammad Najar, Minister of Interior (since 2009)
- Heydar Moslehi, Minister of Intelligence and National Security (since 2009)
- Masoud Mir KazemiMasoud Mir KazemiMasoud Mir Kazemi is an Iranian politician who was Minister of Petroleum from 2009 to 2011, replacing Gholamhossein Nozari after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected. Kazemi had previously headed Shahed University and headed Iran's Ministry of Commerce...
, Minister of Petroleum (2009-2011) - Ahmad KhatamiAhmad KhatamiAyatollah Seyyed Ahmad Khatami is a senior Iranian Ayatollah, as well as a senior member of the Assembly of Experts. In December of 2005, Ali Khamenei appointed him as Tehran’s substitute Friday prayer leader.He was born in the town of Nīr, Northern Iran...
, Member of the Assembly of Experts (since 2004) - Mohammad-Javad Larijani, Academic
- Saeed JaliliSaeed JaliliSaeed Jalili, is an Iranian politician and the present secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. On October 20, 2007, he replaced Ali Larijani as the secretary of the council and hence chief nuclear negotiator of Iran...
, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (since 2007) - Mohsen RezaeeMohsen RezaeeMohsen Rezaee Mirgha'ed, also spelled Rezai and Rezaie , born Sabzevar Rezaee Mirgha'ed , is an Iranian politician, economist and former military commander, currently the Secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran...
, Secretary of Expediency Discernment Council (since 1997) - Ali Akbar SalehiAli Akbar SalehiAli Akbar Salehi is an Iranian politician, diplomat and academic and the current Minister of Foreign Affairs since 13 December 2010. Previous to his appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs, he was Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran from 16 July 2009 to 13 December 2010...
, Minister of Foreign Affairs (since 2010) - Nasrin SoltankhahNasrin SoltankhahNasrin Soltankhan is an Iranian politician who presently holds positions in both the local and the executive branch of the Iranian government.-Cabinet position:...
, Head of National Elites Foundation (since 2009)
Reformists
- Mir-Hossein MousaviMir-Hossein MousaviMir-Hossein Mousavi Khameneh is an Iranian reformist politician, artist and architect who served as the seventy-ninth and last Prime Minister of Iran from 1981 to 1989. He was a Reformist candidate for the 2009 presidential election and eventually the leader of the opposition in the post-election...
, Prime Minister (1981-1989) - Mehdi KarroubiMehdi KarroubiMehdi Karroubi is an influential Iranian reformist politician, democracy activist, mojtahed, and chairman of the National Trust Party. He was Chairman of the parliament from 1989 to 1992 and 2000 to 2004, and a presidential candidate in the 2005 and 2009 presidential elections.He is a founding...
, Chairman of Parliament (1989-1992) - Zahra RahnavardZahra RahnavardZahra Rahnavard is an Iranian artist and politician.-Early life:Rahnavard was born in Borujerd, Iran. Her father Haj-Fathali was a Fundamentalist Sh'ia and anti-Communist. After hearing of a gathering of Sh'ia clerics in Iran, Haj-Fathali emigrated to Khomein, Markazi Province where Zahra was born...
, Chancellor of Alzahra University (1998-2006) - Ali Akbar Mohtashamipur, Leader of the Association of Combatant Clerics (2010-present)
- Mohammad KhatamiMohammad KhatamiSayyid Mohammad Khātamī is an Iranian scholar, philosopher, Shiite theologian and Reformist politician. He served as the fifth President of Iran from August 2, 1997 to August 3, 2005. He also served as Iran's Minister of Culture in both the 1980s and 1990s...
, President (1997-2005) - Mohammad-Reza Khatami, Deputy Speaker of Parliament (2000-2004)
- Masoumeh EbtekarMasoumeh EbtekarMasoumeh Ebtekar is an Iranian scientist, journalist and politician. She is currently the director of Peace and Environment Center in Tehran.Ebtekar first achieved fame as the spokeswoman of the students who had occupied the US Embassy in 1979...
, Member of Tehran City Council (since 2007) - Mostafa KavakebianMostafa KavakebianMostafa Kavakebian is an Iranian reformist politician and representative of Semnan and Mehdishahr at Parliament of Iran. He is a Ph.D. and professor of political science Allameh Tabatabai University....
, Member of Parliament (since 2004) - Mohammad-Reza Aref, First Vice President (2001-2005)
- Gholamhossein KarbaschiGholamhossein KarbaschiGholamhossein Karbaschi is an Iranian politician who was the Mayor of Tehran from 1989 until 1998. He is considered politically reformist and is a close ally of former president Mohammad Khatami...
, Mayor of Tehran (1989-1998) - Hassan KhomeiniHassan KhomeiniSeyyed Hassan Khomeini is a "mid-ranking" Iranian cleric. He is the grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini, and son of the late Hojat-Ol Eslam Ahmad Khomeini...
, Grandson of Ruhollah KhomeiniRuhollah KhomeiniGrand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran... - Mohammad KhazaeeMohammad KhazaeeMohammad Khazaee , born 12 April 1953 in Kashmar, Iran) is the current Ambassador of Iran to the United Nations. He presented his credentials to the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in July 2007. He was elected as Vice President of the United Nations General Assembly on 14 September...
, Ambassador of Iran to the United Nations (since 2007) - Gholam Reza AghazadehGholam Reza AghazadehGholam Reza Aghazadeh is an Iranian Politician. Aghazadeh served as the Vice President for Atomic Energy of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the president of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran up until July 2009....
, Head of Atomic Energy Organization (1997-2009) - Mostafa MoeenMostafa MoeenMostafa Moeen, M.D. , is an Iranian politician and professor of Pediatrics, and an advisor to the former President Mohammad Khatami. He was a presidential candidate for the 2005 Iranian presidential election...
, Minister of Science, Research, and Technology (2000-2003) - Mohammad-Ali Najafi, Minister of Education (1989-1997)