Conservative Muhamad Baqir Ghalibaf announces his support for Jalili in the second round of the presidential elections in Iran

June 29. (EUROPA PRESS) –

Iran’s parliament speaker and former presidential candidate Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf announced on Saturday that he will support his fellow parliamentarian Said Jalili in the second round of the presidential election, where the former chief nuclear negotiator will face reformist former health minister Masud Pezeshkian.

Ghalibaf’s endorsement is particularly significant because he has long been a political rival of Jalili and his refusal to withdraw from this week’s first round of voting has greatly benefited the reformist candidate. The parliamentary speaker was also the third-highest-placed candidate in the election, with 3.3 million votes cast, behind Jalili (9.4 million) and Pezeshkian (10.4 million).

The second vote will take place on July 5 amid serious doubts about participation given that the first round has resulted in 40.25% attendance at the polls, a historical minimum in the country.

In a statement published by the semi-official Tasnim agency, Ghalibaf expresses “his personal respect” for Pezeshkian but also communicates his doubts about his candidacy given his proximity to “forces” that have caused “an important part of today’s economic and political problems.” and that “they should not return to the arena of power.”

“Therefore, we must all work hard to ensure that the candidate of the Revolutionary Front, Dr. Jalili, is elected head of government,” the Speaker of Parliament concluded.