Two hardline candidates in Iran's presidential election withdrew from the race on Thursday, a day before the vote, and called for unity among those supporting the country's Islamic revolution, state media reported.
Amirhossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi, 53, dropped his candidacy and urged other candidates to do the same “so that the front of the revolution will be strengthened”, Irna news agency reported.
Mr Ghazizadeh Hashemi served as one of the late president Ebrahim Raisi’s vice presidents and as the head of the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs. He ran in the 2021 presidential election and finished last, with under one million votes.
Tehran's mayor Alireza Zakani, 58, also withdrew and urged the two leading hardline candidates, former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, to “unite and not leave the demands of the revolutionary forces unanswered”.
Mr Ghazizadeh Hashemi and Mr Zakani were expected to win 1.7 per cent and 2 per cent of votes, according to a June 22-23 poll carried out by the Iran Students Polling Centre.
Late withdrawals are common in Iranian presidential elections, particularly the day before the vote when campaigns enter a mandatory period without rallies.
Analysts broadly see the election as a three-way contest between Mr Jalili, Mr Qalibaf and the sole reformist candidate, Masoud Pezeshkian, a cardiac surgeon who has associated himself with the former administration of the relatively moderate president Hassan Rouhani, who reached Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
The other hardliner still in the race is Mostafa Pourmohammadi, who served as justice minister under Mr Rouhani.
Mr Rouhani on Wednesday threw his weight behind Mr Pezeshkian.
“On Friday, we should vote for someone who is determined to remove the shadow of sanctions from the Iranian people,” Mr Rouhani said in a video message published by the Shargh, praising Mr Pezeshkian's “honesty” and “loyalty”.
Iran’s theocracy under supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has maintained its stance of not allowing women or anyone calling for radical change to the country’s government to stand for election. Mr Khamenei has called for a “maximum” turnout in the vote while issuing a warning to Mr Pezeshkian and his allies about relying on the US.
Widespread public apathy has descended in the Iranian capital over the election after the May 19 helicopter crash that killed Mr Raisi.
About a decade after the nuclear deal raised hopes of opening up Iran to the rest of the world, Iranians broadly face crushing economic conditions and an escalation in regional tensions that already has seen the Islamic Republic directly attack Israel for the first time. Iran also now enriches uranium to nearly weapons-grade levels and has enough of it to produce several nuclear weapons if it chooses.
The limited choice of candidates, who must be approved by Iran's Guardian Council, as well as widespread discontent over a continuing crackdown on women over the mandatory headscarf, has led to some Iranians saying they will not vote.
“I did not watch any of the debates since I have no plan to vote,” Fatemeh Jazayeri, a 27-year-old unemployed woman with a master’s degree, told the Associated Press.
“I voted for Rouhani seven years ago, but he failed to deliver his promises for a better economy. Any promise by any candidates will remain on paper only.”
Worshippers attending Friday prayers in Tehran last week, typically more conservative than others in the city, appeared more willing to vote.
Mahmoud Seyedi, a 46-year-old shopkeeper, said that he, his wife and their two daughters would all vote.
“My wife and I have decided to vote for Qalibaf since he knows how to solve problems of the country because of years of experience but my daughters are thinking about Jalili, too,” he said.
“Voting is a duty for us.”
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
SPECS%3A%20Polestar%203
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELong-range%20dual%20motor%20with%20400V%20battery%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E360kW%20%2F%20483bhp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E840Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20automatic%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20touring%20range%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20628km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E0-100km%2Fh%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.7sec%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETop%20speed%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20210kph%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh360%2C000%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeptember%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Brief scores:
QPR 0
Watford 1
Capoue 45' 1
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Switch%20Foods%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Edward%20Hamod%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Plant-based%20meat%20production%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2034%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%246.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20round%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Based%20in%20US%20and%20across%20Middle%20East%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Brief scores:
Pakistan (1st innings) 181: Babar 71; Olivier 6-37
South Africa (1st innings) 223: Bavuma 53; Amir 4-62
Pakistan (2nd innings) 190: Masood 65, Imam 57; Olivier 5-59
