Iran presidential candidates announced with nuclear deal, ayatollah's future at stake

There is not a moderate of any stature on the list of candidates for the next president of Iran.

And armchair consensus is that there is really only one name to watch: Ebrahim Raisi. Confidante of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Notorious for playing a role in the execution of 7,000 prisoners after the Iran-Iraq War. Chief justice of Iran. "The regime in Iran seems bent on wanting to secure the election of a hardliner and in particular Mr. Raisi," Mehrdad Khonsari told Fox News. He said this is especially important now that Khamenei is of advanced age and talk of succession is more regular. Khonsari thinks the supreme leader wants to protect his revolution and proteges by making sure all branches of power are in his hands, or the hands of the "deep state," as Khonsari likes to call that most inner of inner circles. Hard-liners already have the judiciary and parliament locked in. They just need the presidency.  "This assures that the leadership in the 'deep state,' that were something to happen to Ayatollah Khamenei in the next four to eight years, elements supportive of their interests will be in key places to control the future of Iran," Khonsari said.