Former IRGC commander submits presidential candidacy amid succession race
Shafaq News/ Former Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Vahid Haghanian has officially submitted his candidacy for the presidency, joining the race to succeed the late Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash last month.
Like all presidential candidates in Iran, Haghanian's run will be subject to the approval of the 12-member Guardian Council. This body, dominated by conservatives, scrutinizes all candidates for public office.
Haghanian, similar to the late President Ebrahim Raisi, has been under U.S. sanctions since 2019 due to his involvement in "the inner circle of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, responsible for bolstering the regime's internal and external repression."
Iran maintains that baseless accusations prompt most U.S. sanctions.
Haghanian stated that his candidacy is a "personal decision" and that he is "well-versed in the country's issues."
He emphasized that he has established close relationships with key state officials during his "45 years of service in the presidential administration and the Supreme Leader's office."
Who Is Haghanian?
Born in 1961 in Tehran, Brigadier General Vahid Haghanian joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and soon commanded the IRGC's security patrols in Tehran, known as "Sarallah Patrols."
After that, he was the commander of the Navy Intelligence Unit of the IRGC.
In late 1988, he served as an IRGC commander for four years.
By 1992, he was transferred to Khamenei's office by Mohammad Golpayegani, taking on security responsibilities. Since the mid-2000s, he has served as the Executive Deputy of Khamenei's office.
Other Prominent Candidate
The Iranian Interior Ministry began accepting candidate applications on Thursday, with the deadline extending until Monday.
The next election is scheduled for June 28.
Other notable candidates who have declared their intention to run the elections are Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani, former parliament member Zohre Elahian, who is the first woman to enter the race, former moderate parliament speaker Ali Larijani, former reformist Central Bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati, and former conservative nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili.
The Council of Guardians in the Iranian government, which is empowered to vet legislation and oversee elections, will announce the final list of candidates on June 11.
In the 2021 presidential election, the Council disqualified many reformist and moderate candidates, including Ali Larijani.
