The National Scot, 18 May 2017 – OPPOSITION group members in Iran are putting their lives at risk by draping large images of their leader in exile from bridges and flyovers in cities across the country, as it prepares for tomorrow’s presidential election which could decide the direction of its future relationship with the West.

President Hassan Rouhani, 68, is seeking a second term in office, but is facing a strong challenge from hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi, 56, who has the backing of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards. Raisi was also one of four Islamic judges who ordered the execution of more than 30,000 political prisoners in 1988, which is reflected in the wording on some of the protestors’ literature.

The activist network of the main Iranian opposition, the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI/MEK), has been running an extensive campaign calling on Iranians to boycott the elections.