As I write these words, Iranians are preparing to go to the polls on Friday to elect a new president to replace Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash on May 19th. The first round of elections, on June 28th, saw the lowest voter turnout since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. All candidates must first be vetted by the Iranian Gaurdian Council, which may account for the low voter turnout. The abysmal turnout of approximately 40 per cent reflects disgust and disillusionment with the entire system.
The candidates who came closest to the 50% mark necessary to win were a reformist lawmaker, Masoud Pezeshkian, and an ultraconservative, former nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khameini is encouraging maximal turnout in order to strengthen the Islamic hand against their aggressors.
What would a Pezeshkian as opposed to a Jalili presidency look like? Will either of these two candidates make a difference in terms of the Islamic Republic’s attitude towards the United States, (“the Great Satan”), or Israel, (the Minor Satan”)? How much autonomy from the regime would either candidate have? Will either of these candidates halt or pause their nuclear program, even temporarily? What have they each stated in regards to the conflicts in Gaza with Hamas, the Houthis attacks on the Red Sea and especially about what looks like an impending conflict between Hezbollah and Israel on Israel’s north?
Here to answer those questions and more is Benham Ben Taleblu.
About this speaker: Behnam Ben Taleblu is a senior fellow at FDD where he focuses on Iranian security and political issues. Behnam previously served as a research fellow and senior Iran analyst at FDD. Prior to his time at FDD, Behnam worked on non-proliferation issues at an arms control think-tank in Washington. Leveraging his subject-matter expertise and native Farsi skills, Behnam has closely tracked a wide range of Iran-related topics including: nuclear non-proliferation, ballistic missiles, sanctions, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the foreign and security policy of the Islamic Republic, and internal Iranian politics. Frequently called upon to brief journalists, congressional staff, and other Washington-audiences, Behnam has also testified before the U.S. Congress and Canadian Parliament.
His analysis has been quoted in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Fox News, The Associated Press, and Agence France-Presse, among others. Additionally, he has contributed to or co-authored articles for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Fox News, The Hill, War on the Rocks, The National Interest, and U.S. News & World Report. Behnam has appeared on a variety of broadcast programs, including BBC News, Fox News, CBS Interactive, C-SPAN, and Defense News. Behnam earned his MA in International Relations from The University of Chicago, and his BA in International Affairs and Middle East Studies from The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs.
