ALBAWABA - Following speculations that he might exit the presidential race, candidate and Tehran mayor Alireza Zakani announced withdrawing his candidacy one day ahead of the elections.
Zakani took to X to announce his withdrawal. " I am grateful to the dear people of Iran and their support".
Prior to his withdrawal, Zakani took part in a presidential debate where he accused his opponents Masoud Pezeşkiyan and Mostafa Purmohammadi of collaboration.
Zakani said, "I will definitely stay and ensure you do not become president." Pezeşkiyan said, "Let the people decide in this election. Nobody can stop anybody from running".
Ebrahim Raisi's helicopter crash
Former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was on his way back after a state visit, accompanied by Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iran's East Azerbaijan Province Governor Malek Rahmati, and Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, the representative of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution to East Azarbaijan province, when their helicopter crashed and killed everyone on board.
Following the crash, legislative authorities announced that the presidential elections would be held on June 28. As the country was bracing up for the historic elections, First Vice-president Mohammad Mokhber has stepped up to fill in as interim president till the country elects a new leader.
