Iran's supreme leader called Tuesday for "maximum" voter turnout in this week's presidential election to "overcome the enemy," denouncing politicians who he described as believing that everything good comes from the United States.
While not naming any particular candidates, the comments by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appeared to directly undercut the candidacy of the race's sole reformist candidate, 69-year-old heart surgeon Masoud Pezeshkian. In recent speeches, Pezeshkian has urged Iran to return to the 2015 nuclear deal and increase its outreach to the West.