Elections 2022 - Raisi's election rally held amid coronavirus; Rouhani says violators will be dealt with

Following the Health and Treatment Committee's concern over some candidates in the 2020 election "normalizing" the situation despite the coronavirus outbreak, Hassan Rouhani, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, ordered that the offending candidates be dealt with "with the utmost seriousness and determination" and that the public be informed of these actions.

On Wednesday, June 10, media and social networks published images of Ebrahim Raisi's campaign rally in Ahvaz, showing that the event was held with a large crowd, without social distancing, and in compliance with health protocols, and of course "with permission."

The high-risk campaign rallies of some presidential candidates are taking place as the number of COVID-19 cases in Iran has reportedly surpassed three million. In the past 24 hours alone, 153 people have died from the virus in Iran. With the vaccination process stalled, it is unclear when Iran will achieve general immunity to the COVID-19 virus.

• The third debate will be held "without a topic".

While the topics raised in previous debates between presidential candidates in Iran were economic issues in the first debate and cultural, social, and political issues in the second debate, following widespread criticism, even from the candidates themselves, of the quality of the questions, the Iranian Broadcasting Corporation (IRCC) has announced that the third debate will be held "without a topic."

According to Iranian media reports, the public relations department of the state-run Iranian Broadcasting Corporation (IRC) has announced that the third debate on Saturday, June 11, will address "people's concerns."

Source: Voice of America