Iran is set to hold fateful presidential elections on June 18. In many ways, this year's ballot is dominated by the same factional and ideological battles of the past—albeit ever further to the right on the political spectrum. These contentions are reflected in the genuinely heated debates among candidates on the domestic and foreign policy orientation of Iran, including its relations with the west.

Before engaging in debate on the specifics of the electoral process, the centrality of voter turnout and the most notable among the registered candidates, it is important to firstly consider what the presidency constitutes in Iran...