Iran's parliament speaker is facing criticism after his family members visited Turkey and went on a reported shopping spree at a time when many Iranians are struggling to make ends meet.
A leaked conversation between top Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps officials has shed light on corruption and infighting within the force, and caused a political firestorm in Tehran. Following its publication by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, even the supreme leader has reacted angrily to the implications.
Ebrahim Raisi: Will he stay or will he go? IranSource by Sanam Vakil
Supporters of Iranian Presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi hold his posters outside the Mosalla mosque in Tehran, Iran, May 16, 2017. REUTERS/TIMA ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Ebrahim Raisi became a household name in Iran when he ran as a conservative candidate in the 2017 presidential elections opposite President Hassan Rouhani. Winning only 38 percent of the vote, Raisi lost the election to the incumbent. What Raisi gained through this defeat, though, was national notoriety and the support of fifteen million people. Moreover, since then, Raisi has not only emerged as a behind-the-scenes player and Supreme Leader loyalist, but has also risen through the ranks by becoming head of the judiciary and a potential conservative political leader of influence within the co