Iranian presidential election, 2017

Last updated
Iranian presidential election, 2017
Flag of Iran.svg
  2013 19 May 2017 2021  
Opinion polls
TurnoutIncrease2.svg 73.33%

  Hassan Rouhani in Saadabad.jpg Raisi at Urumia 04 (cropped).jpg
Nominee Hassan Rouhani Ebrahim Raisi
Party MDP CCA
Running mate Eshaq Jahangiri Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf [1]
Popular vote23,636,65215,835,794
Percentage57.14%38.28%

Iranian presidential election, 2017 by province.svg

Iranian presidential election, 2017 by county.svg

President before election

Hassan Rouhani
MDP

Elected President

Hassan Rouhani
MDP

Presidential elections were held in Iran on 19 May 2017, the twelfth such election in Iran. Local elections were held simultaneously.

Iran Country in Western Asia

Iran, also called Persia, and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in Western Asia. With over 81 million inhabitants, Iran is the world's 18th most populous country. Comprising a land area of 1,648,195 km2 (636,372 sq mi), it is the second largest country in the Middle East and the 17th largest in the world. Iran is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, to the north by the Caspian Sea, to the northeast by Turkmenistan, to the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan, to the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, and to the west by Turkey and Iraq. The country's central location in Eurasia and Western Asia, and its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz, give it geostrategic importance. Tehran is the country's capital and largest city, as well as its leading economic and cultural center.

Contents

Candidates' registration took place from 11 to 15 April 2017. Incumbent president Hassan Rouhani was eligible to run for re-election. His rivals were the conservatives' top candidate Ebrahim Raisi, the Islamic Coalition Party's Mostafa Mir-Salim and Mostafa Hashemitaba who ran with no partisan support. [2]

Hassan Rouhani 7th President of Islamic Republic of Iran

Hassan Rouhani is an Iranian politician serving as the current and seventh President of Iran since 3 August 2013. He was also a lawyer, academic, former diplomat and Islamic cleric. He has been a member of Iran's Assembly of Experts since 1999, member of the Expediency Council since 1991, and a member of the Supreme National Security Council since 1989. Rouhani was deputy speaker of the fourth and fifth terms of the Parliament of Iran (Majlis) and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council from 1989 to 2005. In the latter capacity, he was the country's top negotiator with the EU three, UK, France, and Germany, on nuclear technology in Iran, and has also served as a Shi'ite ijtihadi cleric, and economic trade negotiator. He has expressed official support for upholding the rights of ethnic and religious minorities. In 2013, he appointed former industries minister Eshaq Jahangiri as his first vice-president.

The Principlists also interchangeably known as the Iranian Conservatives and formerly referred to as the Right or Right-wing, are one of two main political camps inside post-revolutionary Iran, the other being Reformists. The term ‘hardliners’ that some western sources use in the Iranian political context, usually refers to the faction, despite the fact it includes also more centrist tendencies.

Ebrahim Raisi Iranian shia jurist and judge

Sayyid Ebrahim Raisol-Sadati, commonly known as Ebrahim Raisi, is an Iranian politician, Muslim cleric and the current Chief Justice of Iran, being appointed on 7 March 2019. He served in several positions in Iran's Judicial system, such as Attorney General from 2014 to 2016, and Deputy Chief Justice from 2004 to 2014. He was also Prosecutor and Deputy Prosecutor of Tehran in the 1980s and 1990s. He was custodian and chairman of Astan Quds Razavi, a wealthy and powerful foundation or bonyad from 2016 until 2019. He is also a member of Assembly of Experts from South Khorasan Province, being elected for the first time in 2006 election. He is the son-in-law of Mashhad Friday prayer leader and Grand Imam of Imam Reza shrine, Ahmad Alamolhoda.

Rouhani was re-elected for a second term. According to results announced by the Interior Ministry, Rouhani received 23.5 of 41 million votes counted. His closest rival, Ebrahim Raisi, received 15.7 million votes. [3] Rouhani inaugurated on 5 August 2017 with taking oath of office for the second time at the Parliament of Iran.

Ministry of Interior (Iran)

The Ministry of Interior of the Islamic Republic of Iran is in charge of performing, supervising and reporting elections, policing, and other responsibilities related to an interior ministry.

Second inauguration of Hassan Rouhani

The inauguration of Hassan Rouhani as the 7th President of Iran for his second term took place in two rounds, first on Thursday 3 August 2017, when he received his presidential precept from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and second on Saturday 5 August, when he was sworn into office in the Parliament of Iran. This marked the commencement of the second four-year term of Hassan Rouhani as president and his vice president. The oath of office was administered by Chief Justice Sadeq Larijani.

Oath of office an official promise by a person who has been elected to a public office to fulfill the duties of the office according to the law

An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations. Such oaths are often required by the laws of the state, religious body, or other organization before the person may actually exercise the powers of the office or any religious body. It may be administered at an inauguration, coronation, enthronement, or other ceremony connected with the taking up of office itself, or it may be administered privately. In some cases it may be administered privately and then repeated during a public ceremony.

Electoral system

Coat of arms of Iran.svg
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Iran
Government of Islamic Republic of Iran

Eligibility

Any Iranian citizen above 18 years of age was able to register as a presidential candidate. An institution called the Election Monitoring Agency (EMA) and managed by the Guardian Council vets registered candidates and approves a handful to run in the election. The Guardian Council does not publicly announce the reason a particular candidate is rejected, although those reasons are explained to each candidate. Women who register as candidates have invariably been excluded from standing for election by the Council. [4] [5]

Guardian Council appointed and constitutionally-mandated 12-member council that wields considerable power and influence in Iran

The Guardian Council of the Constitution is an appointed and constitutionally mandated 12-member council that wields considerable power and influence in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Timeline

According to the official dates announced on 1 April 2017 by the Ministry of Interior: [6]

Candidates

Registration and vetting process

Former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who endorsed his protege, and former vice president Hamid Baghaei, registered as a candidate along with him. 2017 Iranian presidential election registration Day 2 04.jpg
Former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who endorsed his protégé, and former vice president Hamid Baghaei, registered as a candidate along with him.

During the five days period, a total of 1,636 individuals put their name to run for president, an increase over the 686 candidates in the previous election in 2013. Among the candidates was a record number of 137 women. [7] Hundreds of the applicants were ordinary people with no political background [8] and clearly lacked the criteria cited in the article 115 of the constitution, which is being considered among “religious and political rejal ("men" or "personalities", according to different interpretations)”. [9] Many criticized the law, which allows almost anyone to register to run. [7] Some intended to gain public attention, including political prisoners Mehdi Khazali and former MP Ghasem Sholeh-Saadi, [10] and some women tried to challenge the judicial interpretation of word rejal as "men", most notably Azam Taleghani. [7] [10] On 20 April 2017, the Guardian Council announced a list of 6 approved candidates. The list contains incumbent president Hassan Rouhani, incumbent vice president Eshaq Jahangiri, Astan Quds Razavi custodian Ebrahim Raisi, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Mostafa Mir-Salim and Mostafa Hashemitaba. [11]

Former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his vice president Hamid Baghaei were disqualified. [12] Ahmadinejad, who was advised by the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei not to run for the election, [13] wrote a letter in September 2016 to him, pledging that he would not run. [14] On 11 February 2017, he officially declared that he would not back any candidate, however, in a video released on 19 March 2017 he announced his support for Hamid Baghaei [15] and surprised observers by himself registering to run. [16]

Mohammad Gharazi was also among those disqualified, despite being approved as a candidate in 2013. [17]

Approved candidates

CandidateParty affiliationSloganPrevious offices
Executive Legislative Judicial Military/Security
Mostafa Hashemitaba registration at 2017 presidential election (cropped).jpg
Mostafa Hashemitaba
(campaign)
Executives of Construction Party
Protecting Iran
N/AN/AN/A
Ebrahim Raisi at Interior Ministry for presidential nomination 13 (cropped).jpg
Ebrahim Raisi
(campaign)
Combatant Clergy Association
Government of Dignity and Work
N/AN/A
N/A
Hassan Rouhani registration at 2017 presidential election.jpg
Hassan Rouhani
(campaign)
Moderation and Development Party
Again [for] Iran
President (since 2013)
N/A
Mostafa Mir-Salim registration at 2017 presidential election.jpg
Mostafa Mir-Salim
(campaign)
Islamic Coalition Party
Rights must be fought for
N/AN/ACaretaker Commander of the Shahrbani (1980–1981)

Withdrawals

In his statement, Ghalibaf accused current president Hassan Rouhani of financial mismanagement and asserted that he and his supporters were "revolutionary opportunists." [19] The statement read:

The fight against pseudo-revolutionary opportunists has become highly costly, because this current is gnawing at the roots of the Revolution like a termite...[They] are not only at odds with the intellectual fundaments of original revolutionaries, but also represent a current whose material interests are at risk. [20]

CandidateParty affiliationSloganPrevious officesEndorsed
Executive Lawmaking Judicial Military/Security
Eshaq Jahangiri at Interior Ministry for 2017 presidential nomination 13.jpg
Eshaq Jahangiri
(campaign)
Executives of Construction Party
All for Iran
MP (1984–1992)N/AN/A
Hassan Rouhani
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf registering at the 2017 Iranian presidential election (cropped).jpg
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf
(campaign)
Population For Progress and Justice
People's Government
Mayor of Tehran (since 2005)N/AN/A
Ebrahim Raisi

Campaign

Debates and TV programs

Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) provides each candidate with 210 minutes for campaign talks on TV, [23] and there would be three debate sessions on politics, economics, and social pressing issues aired on Channel 1. [24] On 20 April 2017, Election Campaign Monitoring Commission announced that there would be no live debates and it will broadcast prerecorded, [25] however, after vast criticism from candidates and Iranian people the commission revoked its decision two days later. [26] Candidates are scheduled to air dedicated programmes on IRIB TV channels and radio stations, 555 minutes for each per candidate, and a sum of 1,470 minutes including the debates. [27]

Campaigning platforms and techniques

The election was characterised for usage of populist practices [28] [29] and mudslinging. [30] The conservatives launched smear campaigns against the reformist-backed candidate Hassan Rouhani, [2] [28] while he initially maintained positive campaigning. Rouhani later changed strategy by straightly attacking his rivals [31] and the incumbent administration used fearmongering tactics to encourage people to vote. [32]

"Populist" is a new label lately associated with Rouhani's predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as well as with his current "hardline" conservative, religious extremist or "Principalist" (as they prefer to be called) opponents. Unlike their counterparts in the West, however, Iranian populists represent the establishment, with Rouhani, the liberal internationalist or reformist, as the opposition. They have tended to benefit from Western comparisons in terms of the appearance of legitimacy. Khameini's ideal of pursuing a "resistance economy" in response to threats of sanctions, rather than diplomacy, is seen as the counterpart to Donald Trump's withdrawal from international trade deals or Theresa May's promises of increased UK sovereignty and prosperity after leaving Europe. Rouhani resisted pressure to block social media, whereas increases in state control of the media and alternative facts have long been a feature of the political strategy of Khameini and hardliners. [29]

Role of social media

Posters and handwritten slogans were also used to advertise in the election Iran 2017 election.jpg
Posters and handwritten slogans were also used to advertise in the election

Social media was traditionally a tool for the reformists to campaign, but the presence of conservatives during the election was unprecedented in Iranian political history. [34]

Third Iranian debate, 2017 election Third Iranian debate, 2017 election 04.jpg
Third Iranian debate, 2017 election

Telegram instant messaging service, the most widely used messaging application in Iran, reportedly has more than 45 million users in a country of nearly 80 million as of April 2016. [35] It serves as a platform for Iranians to express their political opinions [36] and played an important role in the campaigns for the elections held in 2016 for Parliament and Assembly of Experts. [37] Twitter is blocked in Iran, however, Iranians use proxies to tweet and those that create a buzz, then travel to Telegram channels, where "they can potentially reach a much wider audience" according to BBC. [38]

Two months before election, Iranian Judiciary arrested some pro-Hassan Rouhani Telegram channel administrators for “crimes against public morals and publishing obscenity”. [35]

The campaigners also heavily used Instagram [38] and its feature of airing live videos to stream real-time campaign developments. [39]

Tactical nomination of Jahangiri

President Rouhani's ally and first vice president Eshaq Jahangiri is standing in the election to support him during the campaign and in TV debates, [41] being called as a ‘fender’ or ‘cover candidate’ by Iranian media, [42] and will possibly later withdraw in support of the incumbent president. [43] The idea was allegedly recommended by Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, [42] who was a key backer of Rouhani before his death in January 2017. [41] Another reason for the nomination was to have an ‘alternative candidate’ in case the Guardian Council disqualified Rouhani [44] or raise his profile for a bid in 2021. [40]

Jahangiri withdrew in favor of Rouhani on 16 May 2017. [22]

Hashemitaba's endorsement of Rouhani

Candidate Mostafa Hashemitaba released a statement on 15 May 2017 and endorsed Rouhani, but refused to quit the race. He said he “will vote for the current president to help extension of this government's constructive approach.” [45]

Conservative consensus candidate

Ghalibaf appeared at Raisi's campaign rally in Tehran's Mosalla, 16 May 2017 Ebrahim Raisi and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf at Tehran Mosalla.jpg
Ghalibaf appeared at Raisi's campaign rally in Tehran's Mosalla, 16 May 2017

Among the approved candidates, Ebrahim Raisi, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Mostafa Mir-Salim are regarded as figures of the conservative camp, which intended to bring one single candidate for the election. [46] Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces endorsed both Raisi and Ghalibaf, [2] and it was unclear if any of them would drop out in favor of a fellow conservative. [47]

On 15 May 2017, Ghalibaf gave up his bid in favor of Raisi. [18]

Islamic Coalition Party released a statement on 18 May 2017, announcing it supports Raisi's bid for presidency following the withdrawal of Mostafa Mir-Salim, [48] despite the fact that Mir-Salim denied that he is withdrawing from the race. [49]

Endorsements and positions

OrganizationEndorsed candidate
Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces [2] Ebrahim Raisi
Front of Islamic Revolution Stability [50]
Combatant Clergy Association [50]
Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom [51]
Resistance Front of Islamic Iran [52]
Front of Followers of the Line of the Imam and the Leader [53]
YEKTA Front [54]
Ansar-e-Hezbollah [55]
Union of Islamic Student Societies [56]
Islamic Society of Engineers [57]
Moderation and Development Party [58] Hassan Rouhani
Association of Combatant Clerics [61]
Assembly of Qom Seminary Scholars and Researchers [61]
Executives of Construction Party [62]
Union of Islamic Iran People Party [63]
National Trust Party [64]
Will of the Iranian Nation Party [65]
Assembly of the Forces of Imam's Line [66]
Islamic Association of University Instructors [67]
Islamic Iran Solidarity Party [68]
Democracy Party [69]
NEDA Party [70]
Workers' House [71]
Freedom Movement of Iran [72]
Kurdish United Front [73]
Iranian Call and Reform Organization [74]
Green Path of Hope [75]
National Front [76]
Council of Nationalist-Religious Activists of Iran [77]
Islamic Coalition Party [78] Mostafa Mir-Salim
Religious communities
Exiled opposition

Polling process

The election was kicked off at 8 a.m. (IRST) on Friday, 29 May 2017. It was held in domestic 63,429 polling stations, in addition to some 14,000 mobile ballot boxes. It involved around 1.5 million executive forces and monitors, 350,000 security forces, 70,000 inspectors, and around 100,000 representatives of local governors. [88]

After a “huge rush” of citizens to vote, [89] the polling time was extended for several extra hours until midnight which is the latest possible time allowed by the law. [90]

Polling stations abroad

Among the citizens eligible to vote in the election, about 2.5 million lived abroad and the elections were held in 103 countries, including the United States. [91]

Canada, which hosts at least 400,000 Iranians, [91] does not have diplomatic relations with Iran, a situation which hindered participation of Iranian citizens. [92] However, some traveled to the United States in order to vote. [93]

Results

According to final results, 41,366,085 voted from a registered electorate of 56,410,234. Turnout was 73.33%. The Ministry of Interior announced results gradually after midnight (local time), after polls closed. Final results were announced at 8 June 2017. [94]

Split percentages are from the Ministry of Interior of Iran, based on all votes cast. This is because 50%+ of all votes is needed to win the first round.

CandidatePartyVotes%
Hassan Rouhani Moderation and Development Party 23,636,65257.14
Ebrahim Raisi Combatant Clergy Association 15,835,79438.28
Mostafa Mir-Salim Islamic Coalition Party 478,2671.16
Mostafa Hashemitaba Executives of Construction Party 214,4410.52
Invalid/blank registered votes1,200,9312.90
Total registered votes41,366,085100
Registered voters/turnout56,410,23473.33
Source: Ministry of Interior
Results chart
Rouhani
57.14%
Raisi
38.28%
Mir-Salim
1.16%
Hashemitaba
0.52%
Invalid votes
2.90%

Provincial votes

The table below displays the official vote tallies by province:

Provinces/districts won by Rouhani
Provinces/districts won by Raisi

International votes

The table below displays the official vote tallies by country:

Countries won by Rouhani
Countries won by Raisi

Maps and graphs

Protests

On 21 May 2017, Ebrahim Raisi wrote a letter to the Guardian Council, objecting to the results. [95]

Allegations of foreign interference

During the elections, several Iranian analysts and officials and warned a possible foreign electoral intervention.

Judiciary head remarks

The head of Iran's judicial system, Sadeq Larijani, warned that enemies made a "huge investment" to undermine and exploit the elections: "The enemies may want to deal a blow to the Iranian political system during the elections". [96]

President of Tatarstan visit

On 20 April 2017, Rustam Minnikhanov - President of Tatarstan and Vladimir Putin's envoy, met with candidate Ebrahim Raisi in Mashhad in Raisi's capacity as Head of Astan Quds Razavi. MP Alireza Rahimi questioned the meeting and asked for explanations about the reasons for it, citing alleged Russian interference in 2016 U.S. election. “The recent meeting raises the suspicion of interference in the elections, which is not appropriate”, he said. [97] [98]

According to the official Islamic Republic News Agency, Minnikhanov also met vice president Eshaq Jahangiri in Tehran one day earlier, discussing bilateral relations. [99]

Opinion polls

Results of opinion polls of decided votes conducted by the Washington DC-based firm International Perspectives for Public Opinion (iPPO) between 6-17 May 2017 Opinion polling for the Iranian presidential election, 2017.png
Results of opinion polls of decided votes conducted by the Washington DC-based firm International Perspectives for Public Opinion (iPPO) between 6–17 May 2017

Voter demographics

2017 Presidential vote by demographic subgroup [100]
Demographic subgroupVotes:   Rouhani  Raisi
Age
18–45 years old
70.3%
45 and older
77.6%
Gender
Women
70.2%
Men
74.2%
Education
Higher education
78.2%
High school or less
69.3%
Community size
Rural
67.3%
Urban
73.3%
Religion
Shia
74.3%
Minorities
88.9%
Human Development Index
High
77.2%
Middle
70.4%
Low
78.9%
Economic class
High
77.2%
Middle
73.3%
Low
70.8%

Reactions

Domestic

Rouhani's supporters celebrating his re-election in Valiasr Street, Tehran Rouhani re-election celebrations in Tehran 16.jpg
Rouhani's supporters celebrating his re-election in Valiasr Street, Tehran

Tens of thousands of supporters of President Hassan Rouhani poured into the streets of Tehran to celebrate the incumbent's re-election. [101] The Tehran Stock Exchange rallied after the election results came out, extending a recent winning streak to close almost 1% higher at its highest level in three months. [102]

Individuals

  • Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a message commending the Iranian people for their "massive and epic" turnout in the country's twin elections: "The winner of yesterday's elections, is you, the Iranian people, and the Islamic establishment, which has managed to win the increasing trust of this big nation despite the enemies' plot and effort." [103] He did not congratulate Rouhani, contrarily to what had done following the previous election in 2013. [104]
  • Among lost candidates, Mostafa Mir-Salim and Mostafa Hashemitaba both congratulated Rouhani on his reelection, [105] but Ebrahim Raisi did not. [106] Rouhani was also congratulated by withdrawn candidates Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf [107] and Eshaq Jahangiri. [108]
  • Hassan Rouhani made the following remarks in a televised speech following the announcement of his election victory: "Iranians clearly and explicitly sent their message to the world through the Friday elections", adding "Our nation wants to live in peace and friendship with the world, but at the same time, it will accept no humiliation or threat." [109]
  • Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani [110] and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani [111] congratulated Rouhani on his reelection to the office.
  • Foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said: "We derive stability not from ‘coalitions’, but from our people, who – unlike many – do vote. Iranians must be respected and are ready to engage." [112] There were some reports that Donald Trump wanted to create a Sunni 'coalition' in the Arab world against Iran during his visit to Saudi Arabia, where elections are an anomaly. [113]

Organizations

  • Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps: On 7 March 2017, IRGC commander-in-chief Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari said “Like in the past, nobody in the IRGC, neither the guards nor the commanders, is permitted to interfere in the elections politically or factionally and to discredit the candidates”. [114] On 1 May 2017, Deputy IRGC Commander for Political Affairs Gen. Rasoul Sanaei told press that IRGC “will not support any candidate in the May 19 presidential election”. [115]

International

Supranational
States

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