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Can Iran's conservatives agree on candidate for upcoming vote?

In Iran, the Principlist camp remains torn by internal strife and continues to fail to agree on a consensus candidate to run against President Hassan Rouhani. Yet, it is too soon to tell whether Rouhani will secure a second term.
A supporter of Iranian presidential candidate Saeed Jalili holds his picture during a rally in Tehran June 12, 2013. Picture taken June 12, 2013.  REUTERS/Yalda Moayeri   (IRAN - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) - RTX10M0X

Iranian Principlists are finding that getting their house in order ahead of an election is becoming more complicated than ever. As the conservative camp takes measures to agree on a single candidate who can challenge incumbent Hassan Rouhani in the May 19 presidential election, reports of internal strife continue to surface.

In an attempt to unite behind a consensus nominee, some Principlists announced the formation of the Popular Front of Revolutionary Forces, known by its Persian acronym JAMNA, on Dec. 25. The founders of this group are 10 Principlist figures who many have speculated will be potential presidential candidates. Among them is former Minister of Health and Medical Education Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi, one of the Principlists’ top prospects. However, JAMNA has yet to get the broader conservative camp to agree on a single candidate.

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