Amid record low voter turnout and a general lack of interest in any meaningful change that can come through the ballot box, two candidates, one reformist and one ultra-conservative, will face off in Iran's presidential runoff election on Friday.
The runoff election follows a special vote held after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May.
What happened in Iran's first round of voting?
Turnout last Friday was the lowest on record, at about 40%, and none of the four candidates on the ballot received the 50% of the vote needed to win the election.
Reformist candidates Dr. Massoud Pezeshkian, a former health minister, and ultra-hardline former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili won the most votes, sending the election into a runoff on Friday.
Dr Pezeshkian advanced because the conservative vote was split between two candidates, one of whom received less than 1% of the vote.
Turnout in the runoff may be slightly higher. Some Iranians have said on social media that they will vote for Dr Pezeshkian, fearful of Mr Jalili's hardline policies. Polls have shown that Dr Pezeshkian received roughly half the votes cast in the first round for Mr Jalili's conservative rival, Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf.
Who are the two candidates in the runoff election?
Experts said Dr Pezeshkian would likely boost voter turnout among supporters of reformist parties and those who boycotted parliamentary elections in March and the presidential election in 2021. Dr Pezeshkian has said he would enter into nuclear negotiations with Western countries to lift the harsh economic sanctions that have plagued Iran's economy.
Jalili, on the other hand, has taken a much tougher stance on negotiations, saying at the forum he plans to break sanctions and strengthen economic ties with other countries.
Iran's nuclear and major national policies are determined by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has authorized the Iranian government to indirectly negotiate with the United States for sanctions relief, and these negotiations are likely to continue regardless of who the president is.
Will Iranians turn out to vote?
Iranians have historically been very election-conscious, but in recent elections many have refrained from voting in protest at what they see as an incompetent government and apathy to their demands. Many no longer believe voting will change their lives, and they want an end to clerical rule.
Ghalibaf urged his supporters to vote for Jalili in the runoff election, but many of his supporters, including his campaign manager, switched to Dr Pezeshkian's camp, arguing that Jalili is destructive to Iran's future and will increase tensions both at home and abroad.
In the 2013 presidential election, Iranians voted for reformist candidate Hassan Rouhani, whose campaign promises included a more open state and fewer social restrictions. President Donald J. Trump effectively dashed any hopes of cooperation by withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposing sanctions.
When the conservative Raisi succeeded Rouhani, prospects for greater social freedoms faded.
Is this election free and fair?
The 12-member Supervisory Council, made up of jurists and clerics, has been accused by many rights groups of rigging the election by denying people the right to choose candidates. It narrowed down the field of 80 candidates to just six, disqualifying seven women, one former president and numerous senior government officials.
Why is this election important?
The election offers the government an opportunity to show it can handle the president's unexpected death without descending into chaos, amid domestic protests against the Islamic republic and rising tensions with the United States and Israel.
If Jalili wins, the government is likely to claim the victory of ideologically-driven politics.
While the supreme leader is the country's highest authority and is responsible for foreign policy, the president sets domestic policy and can influence social issues, such as Iran's mandatory hijab law for women.
Six years after the United States withdrew from the nuclear deal with Iran, the new president's role in managing the nuclear program is unclear — an issue that has become increasingly pressing for Western nations amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran.
What are the main issues?
A stagnant economy, U.S.-led sanctions and women's rights are central issues in the election, with many Iranians losing faith in a government they see as incapable of making change.
Sanctions have dented the country's already struggling economy and fuelled public discontent as some see a disconnect between a leader who preaches austerity and moderation and his family's lavish spending abroad.
When will we know the results of the runoff election?
The Interior Ministry announced a runoff election would take place the day after the first round of voting ends, and authorities are likely to announce at least provisional results by Saturday.