Mohammad Javad Zarif, the former Foreign Minister of Iran, has officially dismissed rumors of his candidacy in the upcoming presidential election.

According to The Iran Project, in an interview with an ILNA reporter, Zarif was asked if he intended to run for office. He responded succinctly, “No,” putting an end to the speculations about his participation.

This announcement comes at a time of profound national grief following the tragic death of Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi and his companions in a helicopter crash on May 19.

The helicopter, carrying the president and several key officials, went down in a mountainous region under circumstances that are still under investigation.

This devastating incident has led to the decision to hold the presidential election sooner than originally scheduled.

With Zarif’s explicit refusal to enter the race, the upcoming election remains wide open, sparking considerable interest and speculation about who will step forward to lead the country.

According to the schedule announced by the Ministry of Interior, the registration of volunteers will take place from May 30 to June 3.

The Guardian Council will then start vetting the candidates until June 10, and the names of qualified candidates will be announced the following day.

The period for candidates’ election campaigns will be from June 12 to July 26, and the election will be held on July 28.