TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranians are preparing this week to vote in — or perhaps to boycott — a presidential election that many fear will only underscore their powerlessness to shape the nation’s fate. Iran’s clerical vetting committee has allowed just seven candidates on Friday’s ballot. They’re seeking to replace the term-limited President Hassan Rouhani, whose promises of a bright economic future withered as Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers collapsed. Iran is reeling from the coronavirus pandemic, global isolation, sweeping U.S. sanctions and runaway inflation. The mood among potential voters appears to be one of apathy.
Many Iranians fear vote will underscore their powerlessness
