The Ebrahim Raisi 2017 presidential campaign began when Ebrahim Raisi, chairman of the Astan Quds Razavi, launched his campaign in April 2017 for the 2017 presidential election. Raisi's campaign pursued a populist agenda. His campaign ended in May 2017 with his electoral loss to then-incumbent president Hassan Rouhani.

Early stages In February 2017, Ebrahim Raisi was said to be backed by the Front of Islamic Revolution Stability and emerging as the conservative camp consensus candidate. One of the senior member of the front told press that his party tried to "persuade Ebrahim Raisi to stand for the elections, but did not succeed". On 23 February 2017, Raisi won the majority of votes during the meeting held by Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces, a newly established umbrella organization of conservatives.

Fifty out of the 88 members of the Assembly of Experts, whose names have not been disclosed, signed a letter supporting Raisi for president in March 2017.

Branding

Raisi's campaign focused on presenting him as a symbol of Mohammad Beheshti, Iran's chief justice assassinated in 1981. His campaign portrayed him as "man of the people"; when Mashhad was hit by an earthquake in early April, he cancelled his meeting in Tehran and said "it is necessary to be with the religious people of this land".

Raisi publicized pictures of his visits to poverty-stricken areas in remote villages, and opening an apartment complex for the families of Afghan fighters killed in Syrian civil war.

On 17 April 2017, Raisi wrote an open letter to Hassan Rouhani, recommending him to "observe moral codes". Raisi's campaign symbol was the "National identity card". On 15 May 2017, conservative candidate Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf withdrew his candidacy in favor of Raisi. It was speculated that Ghalibaf would be Raisi's first vice president if he got elected. They also joined in a campaign rally in Tehran with each other.

Media coverage Iranian moderates and reformists criticized Iran's state-run television, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), for "excessively reporting" on Raisi. According to Etemaad newspaper, television broadcasts showed Raisi as the prayer Imam regularly throughout the campaign. Raisi however wrote an open letter to IRIB head Abdulali Ali-Asgari, claiming it broadcast "biased advertisements" toward Rouhani because of coverage of his speeches as the President of Iran.

Social media activity In March 2017, a determined campaign began in social media with circulating pictures of mostly young people, including liberal-looking women loosely wearing a hijab, holding pictures with the hashtag #RaisiCome ().

TV programs Program title (Channel) Time FileSpecial conversation (IRIB2)26 April 2017, 22:45–23:30Debate (IRIB1) 28 April 2017, 16:00–19:00 With camera (IRIB1)30 April 2017, 22:00–22:45Documentary (IRIB1)3 May 2017,18:30–19:00Reply Iranian abroad (JJ1) 4 May 2017, 00:30–01:30Debate (IRIB1) 5 May 2017, 16:00–19:00Special conversation (IRIB2) 7 May 2017, 22:45–23:30Recorded conversation (IRINN)10 May 2017, 21:30–22:00Debate (IRIB1)12 May 2017, 16:00–19:00Reply Youths (IRIB3) 13 May 2017, 19:10–18:10Documentary (IRIB1) 14 May 2017,22:00–22:30Reply Iranian abroad (JJ1)15 May 2017, 00:30–01:30Recorded conversation (IRINN) 16 May 2017, 21:30–22:00Reply Experts (IRIB4) 17 May 2017, 18:00–19:00

Political positions Economics

Raisi said "I see the activation of a resistance economy as the only way to end poverty and deprivation in the country". He supported development of the agricultural sector, rather than spending money on shopping malls, which "will eventually benefit foreign brands". Raisi saw economic sanctions as an opportunity.

He promised to triple the monthly state benefits, currently Rls.450,000 per citizen, to tackle corruption and create six million jobs.

Foreign policy Answering reporters about his foreign policy, he said it "would be to establish ties with every country except Israel”.

Sex segregation Ebrahim Raisi was one of the supporters of Sex segregation. He said in a 2014 interview that "I think this is a good move because the majority of women do a better job in a totally relaxed atmosphere and fit are required", in reference to planned segregation in Tehran Municipality. He was also supporter of Islamization of universities, revision of the Internet, and dealing with Western culture.

Provincial visits Province Date RefSouth Khorasan25 AprilYazd25 AprilQazvin30 AprilZanjan30 AprilHormozgan1 MayHamedan2 MayKermanshah2 MayIlam3 MayLorestan3 MayQom6 MayMarkazi7 MayKhuzestan8 MaySistan and Baluchestan9 MayKerman9 MayChaharmahal and Bakhtiari13 MayArdabil13 MayEast Azerbaijan13 MayWest Azerbaijan13 MayGolestan14 MayMazandaran14 MayGilan14 MayKohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad15 MayFars15 MayIsfahan15 MayBushehr15 Mayزمان حرف زدن تمام شدهAlborz16 Mayآقایان میگویند نمی شودTehran16 MayNorth Khorasan16 Mayسخنرانی رئیسی در بجنورد

Endorsements

Organizations Union of Islamic Student Societies Front of Islamic Revolution Stability Resistance Front of Islamic Iran Front of Followers of the Line of the Imam and the Leader YEKTA Front Combatant Clergy Association Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom Islamic Society of Engineers Ansar-e-Hezbollah Islamic Labours' Welfare Party National Reconciliation and Islamic Progress Party Popular Staff for Serving Nation Justiceseekers Party of Islamic Iran

Individuals Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, withdrew candidate Assembly of Experts members Ahmad Alamolhoda Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi (former) MPs Mohammad Mehdi Zahedi Javad Karimi-Ghodousi Nader Ghazipour Alireza Zakani (former) Mehrdad Bazrpash (former) Bijan Nobaveh-Vatan (former) Former ministers Mohammad Abbasi Ali Nikzad Masoud Mir-Kazemi Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi Mohammad Soleimani Alireza Marandi Former vice presidents Masoud Zaribafan Fereydoon Abbasi Former vice ministers Saeed Jalili Ezzatollah Zarghami Judiciary officials Saeed Mortazavi (former) Javad Larijani Artists Masoud Dehnamaki Amir Tataloo Athletes Kioumars Hashemiآخرین بازمانده تفکر احمدی‌نژاد در ورزش رخ نمود! Others Alireza Panahian Hassan Abbasi

Controversy Raisi's practice of distributing flour among the poor was criticized and compared to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's similar distribution of potatoes before 2009 presidential election.

References

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