Society of Qom Seminary Instructors announce support for Velayati

Less than a week to Iran’s presidential election, the Society of Qom Seminary Instructors have announced their support for presidential candidate Ali Akbar Velayati.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the society announced its official support for the former Iranian foreign minister.

The statement was signed by Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi, the head of the Supreme Council of the Society of Qom Seminary Instructors.

Velayati is competing against seven other candidates, namely Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili; Hassan Rohani, the director of the Strategic Research Center of the Expediency Council; lawmaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel; Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf; Expediency Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei; former First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref; and former Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Gharazi.

Iranians will cast their ballots at over 66,000 polling stations across the country in the nation’s 11th presidential election on June 14. Iranian nationals in other countries will also be able to vote at 285 polling stations that will be set up in foreign states.