Iranian lawmakers re-elected former Revolutionary Guards commander Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf on Tuesday as the speaker of parliament.
Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, a parliamentary candidate, casts his vote at a mosque in downtown Tehran, Iran February 21, 2020. Hamed Malekpour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters
Iranian lawmakers re-elected former Revolutionary Guards commander Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf on Tuesday as the speaker of parliament, state television reported, ending speculation that he might stand as a candidate for president next month.
State TV said 198 lawmakers, out of 287, voted for Qalibaf, who previously ran unsuccessfully in two presidential races and dropped out of a third to avoid splitting the hardline vote.
Qalibaf revived his political ambitions by running for parliament in 2020.
An early presidential election is set for June 28 following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash.
The registration for presidential candidates will start on Thursday. Qalibaf had been touted as a potential candidate in the presidential race by insiders and Iranian state media.
Writing by Parisa Hafezi
Abbas Araqchi, Iran's seasoned top diplomat, faces one of his most delicate challenges ever this weekend as he prepares to lead talks with the U.S. to secure a new nuclear deal and avert a military strike against the Islamic Republic.
Iran is giving talks with its arch foe the United States this weekend "a genuine chance", the Iranian foreign ministry's spokesperson posted on X on Friday.
The United States and Iran are due to hold talks on Saturday on Tehran's nuclear program as Britain, France and Germany consider whether to trigger a restoration of sanctions on Iran at the United Nations before a 2015 nuclear deal expires in October.
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