Iran votes for its new president amid economic strife, crackdowns and regional war

• Iran is voting in a snap election following the unexpected death of former President Ibrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash — and the result could have implications far beyond its borders.
• All but one of the candidates approved to run are conservative, anti-Western hardliners.
• If there is no clear majority after Friday's vote, the top two candidates face a second round of voting on July 5.

Iran is voting for its next president Friday in a snap election following the unexpected death of former President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash — and the outcome could have implications far beyond its borders.

While there was no clear frontrunner leading up to the vote, all but one of the six candidates approved to run are conservative hardliners — and half of them have been sanctioned by Western governments. Of the six initial contenders, four remain in the race after two dropped out on Thursday.

If there is no clear majority after Friday's vote, the top two candidates face a second round of voting on July 5. The winner will serve for four years — and faces no shortage of challenges.

The election comes at a fraught time for the country of 88 million, and turnout is expected to be low. Iranians will go to the polls against the backdrop of a battered economy, widespread popular discontent and harsh crackdowns on dissent. Iran is also dealing with high inflation, heavy Western sanctions, mounting tensions with the U.S., ramped-up Iranian nuclear enrichment and the Israel-Hamas war.

Voting is open to roughly 61 million eligible Iranians, but many have pledged to boycott, pointing out the lack of genuine choice for voters. Iran's ultra-conservative Guardian Council controls who is allowed on the ballot and only approved six