Iran’s hardliners nominate 5 candidates for presidential race

Iran’s have nominated five candidates, including Ebrahim Raisi, a powerful cleric, to contest next month’s crucial election as they attempt to put on a united front to defeat Hassan Rouhani, the centrist president. The Islamic Revolution Forces Popular Front, a new umbrella group, said it had been agreed that the candidate who emerges as the frontrunner in the days ahead of the May 19 poll would contest the vote, while the other four would step aside, Iranian media reported.

Conservatives hope the tactic will enable them to launch a multipronged challenge to Mr Rouhani on the campaign trail, but also avoid a repeat of the 2013 presidential election when several hardline candidates ran against each other, diluting their support.