In his bloody and corrupt past, Raisi was also in charge of the plundering ‘Astan Quds’ foundation.

Although the Iranian regime is confronting crises from all angles, it seems like the main problem at the minute is the opposition from the people of Iran who are becoming more open and speaking out now more than ever about the corruption problems of the country. 

The regime is fearful of another uprising like the one in 2009 and it is expected that if a candidate such as Raisi was to become President of the Islamic Republic, the people – who are increasingly calling for justice for the 1988 massacre victims – will voice their opposition. 

Since the recording of Ayatollah Montazeri’s conversation with the members of the death committee was released in which he denounces them for their crimes against humanity, many Iranians – at home and abroad – have called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. Political prisoners have even carried out hunger strikes while calling for justice. 

A state-run news outlet suggested that young Iranians have a negative first impression of Raisi seeing as his name was mentioned in the audio recording. It claimed that people have an “unrealistic image of him in their minds” and efforts need to be made, and are in fact being done so, to change this image.

But to “correct” this image of what is essentially a hardened, experienced murderer is to launch a propaganda campaign. However, the people of Iran cannot be fooled. They will see through the lies and deception of the regime, as they already do, and it is likely to have a reverse effect. The people will rise up against efforts that basically “glam up” such a hateful person. It will add fuel to the fire, so to speak. 

Whether he becomes President or not is crucial to Raisi’s future because he has been selected as one of the candidates for the successor of Khamenei. If he loses the election, he will lose the chance to achieve succession. 

The outcome of the election will also be important to Rouhani because if Raisi becomes president he will have no choice but to leave the political scene and will be side-lined for some time to come. 

Whatever the outcome, the Iranian regime is corrupt to the core and no matter which of the candidates becomes the next President of the Islamic State, the values remain the same.