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US-sanctioned former Revolutionary Guards commander Vahid Haghanian was among candidates who registered on Saturday to run for election as Iran\u2019s president after Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash<\/a>, state media reported.<\/p>\n Haghanian, a close aide to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told reporters after registering that his qualifications were based on \u201cexperience from serving 45 years in the presidency and the leader\u2019s office\u201d.<\/p>\n The US Treasury designated Haghanian in 2019 among nine individuals in Khamenei\u2019s inner circle responsible for \u201cadvancing \u2026 domestic and foreign oppression\u201d.<\/p>\n Iran says most US sanctions are prompted by baseless accusations.<\/p>\n Former parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani, a prominent conservative, was among the candidates who registered<\/a> on Friday, as was Abdolnaser Hemmati, a former central bank governor.<\/p>\n An election official told reporters on Saturday that 17 hopefuls had signed up since registration for the June 28 election opened on Thursday.<\/p>\n The Guardian Council, a cleric-led body that vets candidates, will publish the list of qualified candidates on June 11.<\/p>\n In the latest challenge to a ban on women running for president, conservative former lawmaker Zohreh Elahian registered on Saturday, telling reporters her motto would be: \u201cA healthy government, a healthy economy and a healthy society\u201d.<\/p>\n The Guardian Council has ruled in earlier elections that Iran\u2019s Islamic laws prevent a woman from becoming president.<\/p>\n