Iran Has Its Own Hard-Line Populist, and He’s on the Rise
In a campaign video Mr. Raisi elaborated on the controversy, saying, "I remember when there was such a hype over the concerts, I told my friends, the government should think up a solution for the concerts of poor people, the concerts of slum-dwellers,
and the concerts of salaries below 1 million toman," about $250.
"What foreign company will invest in Iran if he becomes president?" Mr. Raisi enjoys the support of many in Iran’s
security forces, including the powerful Revolutionary Guard Corps and the members of the paramilitary basij forces.
Sensing Mr. Rouhani’s vulnerability, Mr. Raisi as nationalist has criticized the pact, saying on Wednesday, "Where in the world does a government weaken its defensive potentials, missiles for preventing wars?" He says the solutions for Iran’s problems must be found "inside the country" and asserts
that one of the main reasons Iran is stable and secure is its military support for Shiite fighters in Iraq and Syria.
Raisi misuses religion and makes empty promises," said Hossein Ghayyoumi, a reformist cleric who supports Mr. Rouhani.
Saeed Laylaz said that His economic and social policies are like those from former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: disastrous,
He also appears to have the support of Ayatollah Khamenei, who like Mr. Raisi is a staunch guardian of the country’s anti-Western ideology.
