Iran Election Hopefuls Quit in Boost to Leading Candidates

(Bloomberg) -- Two of the seven candidates in Iran’s presidential election have dropped out days before the June 18 vote, leaving just one pro-reform contender in the race and helping hardline front-runner Ebrahim Raisi consolidate more support.

Reformist and former vice president Mohsen Mehralizadeh’s withdrawal leaves independent Abdolnaser Hemmati, who stepped aside from his job as governor of the Central Bank of Iran to run in the election, as the only candidate likely to draw backing from moderate and reformist voters.

The second candidate to withdraw, parliamentary research center chairman Alireza Zakani, said he leaving the race in order to endorse Raisi, state-run IRIB reported.

On Monday a poll by the Iranian Students’ Polling Agency found just 42% of roughly 5,000 respondents definitely planning to vote, with 60% backing ultra conservative cleric Raisi.

Moderate President Hassan Rouhani, whose leadership was plunged into crisis after former U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned the 2015 nuclear deal, is due to step down in August after two consecutive terms in office.

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