What role does the president play in Iran?

Iran will hold a snap presidential election on June 28 after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash last month.

Six candidates have been approved to run. All are long-serving members of Iran’s political establishment.

The winner will have to contend with a struggling economy and the challenge of US sanctions.

So how much choice does this field of candidates represent?

And with voter turnout sinking to all-time lows, will Iranians be inspired to cast their votes now?

Presenter: Laura Kyle

Guests

Abas Aslani – senior research fellow at the Tehran-based think tank Centre for Middle East Strategic Studies

Sanam Vakil – director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House

Mehran Kamrava – director of the Iranian Studies Unit at the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies