Iran's elections 'completely controlled by supreme leader', researcher says Ahead of Friday's snap presidential elections in Iran, a leading critic of the regime has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the vote and how little the result is likely to change things in the country. Kasra Aarabi, from United Again Nuclear Iran, told us that all six candidates allowed to stand have been personally approved by the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He also spoke to us about the regime's race to obtain the nuclear bomb, saying the West only has eight months to prevent that from happening. He joined us for Perspective.