Ahmadinejad registers for Iran elections against advice of supreme leader

Former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, left, flashing the victory sign on April 12, 2017 during the surprise registration of his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election in May. Abdein Taherkenareh/EPAShow less

TEHRAN // Iran’s former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stunned the country on Wednesday by filing to run in the May presidential election, contradicting a recommendation from the supreme leader to stay out of the race.

The decision could upend an election many believed would be won by moderate president Hassan Rouhani, who negotiated the nuclear deal with world powers.

Though Mr Rouhani has yet to formally register, many viewed him as a shoe-in following supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s recommendation in September for Mr Ahmadinejad not to run.

But many hardliners in Iran are seeking a tough-talking candidate who can stand up to Donald Trump.

Mr Ahmadinejad’s candidacy could also expose the fissures inside Iranian politics that linger since his contested 2009 re-election, which brought massive protests.

The former president, who had a rift with Ayatollah Khamenei in his final years of office, announced in October that he would abide by the order and not run.

However, he named one of his main allies and former deputy Hamid Baghaei as a candidate, and both men went to the interior ministry together on Wednesday for registration.

Mehr news agency quoted Mr Ahmadinejad as saying that he registered as a candidate “only to support Baghaei”.

Stunned election officials went ahead and processed Mr Ahmadinejad’s paperwork.

“It was an organised mutiny against the Iran’s ruling system,” said Soroush Farhadian, a Tehran-based analyst who backs reformists.

Mr Ahmadinejad was Iran’s president for two terms from 2005 to 2013. Under Iranian law, he is eligible to run again after four years out of office, but he remains a polarising figure, even among fellow hardliners.

Two of his former vice presidents have been jailed for corruption since he left office.

Iran’s economy suffered under heavy international sanctions during his administration because of suspicions that Tehran was secretly pursuing nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.

Mr Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election in 2009 sparked massive protests and a sweeping crackdown in which thousands of people were detained and dozens killed.

Internationally, he is known for repeatedly questioning the scale of the Holocaust, predicting Israel’s demise and expanding Iran’s contested nuclear programme.

In September, Ayatollah Khamenei recommended an unnamed candidate not seek office as it would bring about a “polarised situation” that would be “harmful for the county”.

Mr Ahmadinejad described comments by the supreme leader suggesting he not run as “just advice” shortly after submitting his registration. There was no immediate reaction from the supreme leader’s office.

By putting his name forward, analysts say Mr Ahmadinejad is trying to make any disqualification of Mr Baghaei costly for the Guardian Council – the powerful election vetting body will announce a final list of candidates by April 27.

Under Iran’s electoral system, all applicants must be vetted by the Guardian Council, which is close to Ayatollah Khamenei who appoints half of its members.

While conservatives are worried that Mr Ahmadinejad or Mr Baghaei’s presence might split their votes, allies of Mr Rouhani are also concerned about the attractiveness of populist candidates with nationalist anti-establishment slogans.

Mr Baghaei, 48, was held under arrest in 2015 for almost seven months on charges that were not made public but many suspected were related to corruption. Iran’s judiciary spokesman said in March that his case was still open.

More than 120 prospective candidates – including six women and seven clerics – submitted their names as candidates on the first day of registration on Tuesday. Registration remains open until Saturday. The Guardian Council normally does not approve dissidents or women for the formal candidate list.

The May 19 election is seen by many in Iran as a referendum on the 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers and its ability to improve the country’s sanctions-hobbled economy. Under that deal, Iran agreed to curb its uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.

Since the deal, Iran has signed multi-billion-dollar contracts with airplane manufacturers Boeing and Airbus. The benefits have yet to trickle down to the average Iranian, however, fuelling some discontent.

* Associated Press and Reuters