Iran’s Interior Ministry releases official list of approved presidential hopefuls

Iran’s Interior Ministry has published the list of the hopefuls approved to run as official candidates for president in the country’s eleventh presidential election slated for June 14, Press TV reports.

The Ministry on Wednesday released the names of the approved hopefuls. The candidates are Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili; former Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Gharazi; President of the Center for Strategic Research of the Expediency Council Hassan Rohani; former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati; former First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref; Secretary of the Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei; Iranian lawmaker Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel; and Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf.

The eight individuals were approved by Iran’s top constitutional supervisory body, the Guardian Council, after a 10-day vetting process.

The Council has not approved, among others, two-term former President Ali Akbar Heshemi Rafsanjani, former Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki and Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, a close aide to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Iranian reformist candidate Aref, who is also an academic, says “Livelihood, Dignity and Rationality” is his campaign’s slogan.

Independent candidate Gharazi says he is running on a platform of “Administration against Inflation.”

Haddad-Adel, a principlist candidate, says he will form his cabinet based on “Piety and Good Judgment” if he is elected president.

Jalili, another Iranian principlist candidate, believes in the discourse of the Islamic Revolution as a means to promote national progress.

Principlist candidate Qalibaf, a former military and police commander, says “Better Economy and Life for People” is his battle cry.

Rezaei, an independent candidate, says he is campaigning on a platform of “Political Ethics and Economic Efficiency.”

“Moderation, Rationality and Acumen” is the slogan of reformist candidate Rohani, who is currently a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts.

Principlist candidate Velayati says his election campaign centers on “Moralism and Management Stability.”

The approved candidates have now three weeks to run their electoral campaigns, according to Iran’s Interior Ministry.