The presidential campaign in Iran kicked off on Friday, 28 May. The Council of Guardians shortlisted a number of candidates and excluded others, in particular former Parliament Speaker Ali Laridjani and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, ex-President of the Republic.

On 27 May, Leader of the Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei exhorted the candidates to limit themselves to economic issues such as “youth unemployment” and “the means of subsistence of the underpriviledged social class”.

On 28 May, Iran’s Chief of Police General Hossein Ashtari threatened to incriminate all those who “incite people not to vote”.

Two days later, Tehran’s Attorney General Ali Alqassi-Mehr warned presidential candidates against crossing the “red lines” or they "will be dealt with firmly."

The religious authorities must make every effort to ensure that at least half of the electorate will go to the polls and choose the Guide’s candidate, Ebrahim Raisi (photo), currently Chief Justice of Iran.