Day before Iran’s presidential election one of candidates announces withdrawal from race

Iranian Vice President Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi announced his decision to drop out of  Iran’s presidential race, Hashemi said in an X post.

“In order to preserve the unity of the Revolutionary Forces and in response to the request of the Coalition Council of Islamic Revolution Forces, I refuse to continue my path and hope that my three brothers will take the opportunity to unite,” Hashemi said.

According to him, now it is his duty to “defend the interests of the country”.

At the end of his statement, he also thanked the people of Iran, his supporters, and members of the Election Office of Iran and expressed hope that the country would continue the line adopted by late President Ebrahim Raisi.

Iran’s snap presidential election is scheduled for June 28. Among the 80 people who submitted documents for the presidential race, the Guardian Council chose only six candidates, one of whom was Hashemi.