Every four years, the Islamic Republic of Iran holds their presidential election. This election cycle marks an important turning point in Iranian politics as Hassan Rouhani, the current president, has already been elected for the maximum number of terms allowed by the Iranian constitution. Inevitably, Iran will have a new head-of-government.
At the moment, there is only individual who is maintaining a serious political campaign: Hossein Dehghan. Dehghan is a career soldier, who attained the rank of brigadier general in the esteemed Revolutionary Guards and eventually went on to head the Martyrs Foundation under president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Interestingly, Dehghan is running as an independent despite having served as Minister of Defense during Rouhani’s tenure. This unwillingness to associate with Rouhani’s party, the Moderation and Development party, may stem from a desire to dissociate with Rouhani’s legacy. According to political analyst Sam Daneshvar, Iranians would be unwilling to vote for a moderate due to the fact that, “they feel so badly betrayed by Rouhani.” Daneshvar also stated that he believes, “conservatives probably will win this time,” as Iranians seek a diversion from the last eight years of Rouhani’s moderate and reformist policies.
No matter the winner, a transfer of power in the Middle East will naturally have repercussions throughout the region and the globe. Western superpowers are deeply invested in the balance of power in the Middle East, especially since rumors are beginning to arise about Iranian plans for nuclearization. The United Kingdom’s delegate to the UN Security Council commented that, “We sincerely hope that the winner will be willing to come to the negotiating table to discuss Iran’s nuclear capabilities and be committed to achieving peace in the Middle East.”
The United Kingdom is not alone in its concern over Iranian nuclearization, President Biden has expressed a determination to reestablish the Iran Nuclear Deal, NATO is keyed into maintaining Iran as a denuclearized power, and other Middle Eastern powers like Israel and Turkey are undoubtedly looking to exploit Iran’s weaknesses and counter their threats. Although the election season is only beginning for Iran, the global community is certainly invested in its outcome.
