Iranians vote to replace president killed in a helicopter crash

SUMMARY

Iranians are voting to replace President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash, but voter apathy remains high due to ongoing economic struggles, mass protests, and regional tensions. The election features hard-line candidates and a reformist contender, Masoud Pezeshkian. Despite concerns over low turnout and calls for a boycott, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged citizens to vote. Analysts see the race as a three-way contest, with former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf as notable hard-line candidates. The election's outcome could influence Iran's foreign policy and relations with the West.