28 May, 2017
Friday's presidential elections are the first since 2015's landmark nuclear agreement, under which Tehran agreed to roll back its nuclear programme in exchange for the removal of sanctions.
Iran's hardline security and judicial powers, which operate separately to the presidency and are close to Iran's ultimate authority - Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - have banned media from publishing Khatami's image or mentioning his name. "He was right, but which administration realized this national demand?"
Iranian voters are set to cast ballot in the country's presidential election on Friday.
Conservative candidate and current Mayor of Tehran Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has withdrawn from the presidential race just days ahead of election day. It also suggests that Iran's election will be decided in the first round, which requires the victor to get over 50 percent of the total vote.
Speaking at a gathering in the mainly Kurdish populated city of Urmia in northwest of Iran, Raisi said he saw no differences between the country's diverse peoples and faiths.
The news Qalibaf was standing down broke as Raisi was delivering a speech in Shiraz, thrilling his supporters. A survey by the state-affiliated Iranian Students Polling Agency published last week showed support for Rouhani at 42 percent, Raisi on 27 percent, while Qalibaf was at 25 percent.
Raisi's popularity has risen steadily in recent weeks and Qalibaf's move should give him a last-minute boost against Rouhani, who has eased Iran's global isolation though failed to spur a sluggish economy.
Two other candidates, conservative Mostafa Mirsalim, a former culture minister, and centrist Mostafa Hashemitaba, a former head of the Iranian National Olympic Committee, remain in the race, with Hashemitaba saying that he will vote for Rohani.
The former prosecutor is now head of a multi-billion-dollar charitable foundation that manages donations to Iran's holiest shrine in the city of Mashhad.
Iran's relations with the US, which improved under Rouhani and led to the nuclear deal and the lifting of some sanctions, have also hung over the campaigning.
However, most Iranians have yet to see the benefits of the nuclear deal.
