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Among 4 Iranian presidential candidates, Raisi, a conservative Shia cleric, is the clear favourite

Iranians head to the polls Friday to elect their new president. Among 4 Iranian presidential candidates, Ebrahim Raisi, a conservative Shia cleric who heads the judiciary, is the clear favourite. Raisi
With all but one of the four candidates to succeed Hassan Rouhani regarded as hardliners.
Moderate former central bank governor Abdolnasser Hemmati is Raisi's main rival.
Raisi, the 60-year-old cleric has served as a prosecutor for most of his career. He was appointed judiciary chief in 2019, two years after he lost by a landslide to Mr Rouhani in the last election.
Mr Raisi has presented himself as the best person to fight corruption and solve Iran's economic problems.
However, many Iranians and human rights activists have expressed concern over his role in the mass executions of political prisoners in the 1980s.
According to BBC, Dissidents and some reformists have called for a boycott, saying the barring of several contenders left Mr Raisi with no serious competition.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei encouraged people to go the polls. He said "Each vote counts. Come and vote and choose your president".
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei cast his vote early on Friday morning in Tehran.
There is widespread discontent among Iranians at the economic hardship they have faced since the US abandoned a nuclear deal with Iran three years ago and reinstated crippling sanctions.
The elections coincide with the latest round of talks in Vienna between Iran and world powers that are aimed at reviving the accord, which saw Iran agree to limit its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. Raisi
Source: BBC
Image source: Getty Images-BBC
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Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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