Moderate conservatives under the leadership of parliament Speaker Ali Larijani announced their support for President Hassan Rouhani on May 1 as they opened a special headquarters in support of his re-election.

Larijani has had an amicable working relationship with Rouhani since the incumbent took office in 2013, aiding the moderate president at key crossroads — including parliament’s approval of the nuclear deal. 

In recent years, Larijani has gradually distanced himself from the conservative camp, which is now controlled by hard-liners — which explains his decision to run as an independent in the 2016 parliamentary elections. Meanwhile, Larijani has continuously supported Rouhani, saying that the president is his comrade and that he is likely to be re-elected.

Rouhani appears to be the preferred candidate of Larijani, especially as the speaker would face problems with both conservative candidates: Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and Ebrahim Raisi, who is being backed by the hard-line Endurance Front. The latter group is active under the leadership of Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, and it loathes Larijani, who had shoes thrown at him by hard-liners during a speech in 2013.