Two Hard Line Candidates Withdraw from Iran's Presidential Race.

Two conservative candidates, Alireza Zakani and Amirhossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi, have withdrawn from Iran's presidential election, leaving four remaining candidates, including the only reformist option. Zakani withdrew to strengthen the chances of two hardliners, Saeed Jalili and Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf. The reduction in candidates may increase the likelihood of a winner emerging in the first round. Opinion polls show reformist Masoud Pezeshkian leading the race, with Jalili considered one of the strongest hardliners. The election is being held to replace Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash. [Extracted from the article]