Azerbaijan, Baku, May 22 / Trend /
Trend Persian Desk commentator Temkin Jafarov
Starting today, the campaign moves into the main stage as candidates launch their publicity campaigns. Among the registered potential candidates for the presidency are Saeed Jalili, Ghulam Ali Haddad-Adel, Mohsen Rezaei, Hassan Rouhani, Mohammad Reza Arif, Mohammad Gharazi, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Ali Akbar Velayati.
Among those whose credentials have not been confirmed are Iran's former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani as well as advisor and father-in-law of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's son Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei. Apart from them, nominations for Manouchehr Mottaki, Alirza Zakani, Akbar Alami, Mustafa Kavakibian and several other politicians have been disapproved by Guardian Council.
The first to express its attitude towards the final presidential candidates was United States. The U.S. Secretary of State demanded that the Supervisory Council of Iran to give all citizens the right to freely participate in the presidential elections. The U.S. State Department spokesman said the majority of those, whose powers have been confirmed, are representatives of the Iranian government and do not represent the people.
The simultaneous withdrawal of Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mashaei sparked an increase in interest in the election atmosphere, and thus, the fact that their nominations did not receive confirmation was unexpected by many experts.
Most of the famous people, who nominated their candidatures, held various positions either in the previous governments or in the current one. Some of them are university teachers and renowned experts.
Conservative camp (5 members):
Saeed Jalili - candidate capable of uniting the conservatives
The secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and representative of the Iranian Supreme religious leader at the council, Saeed Jalili is a conservative and a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war. Although his nomination has always been relevant, he did not state that he will put forward his candidacy up until the date of registration. Despite the fact that the Front for Islamic Revolution Stability would like to present Jalili as its candidate, he decided to run independently. According to public opinion, he is the main favourite in the election race. Although many say that he has little experience in the field of management, Jalili is known as a person with a strong political will, capable of making serious decisions. Up to this day, some candidates from the conservative camp, who have been registered, withdrew their candidatures in favor of Jalili. It is difficult to predict the results of the presidential elections in Iran, as there can always be surprises. But if it continues and the camp of conservatives spares no effort to support him, Jalili will be one of the major presidential candidates.
Ali Akbar Velayati - the founder of conservative coalition
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran, International Affairs Advisor to the Supreme Leader, Ali Akbar Velayati is the founder and member of one of the main coalition of conservatives, which has not disintegrated yet - the "2 +1" coalition (the tripartite coalition, founded by Velayati, Ghalibaf and Haddad-Adel). The members of the coalition had previously stated that the overall goal of the union at the initial stage is to go to the polls and make extensive use of promotional opportunities. Despite following the nomination of Hashemi Rafsanjani and Rahim Mashaei, Ghalibaf said "a coalition is out of the question and that everyone should stand for themselves", and that they would withdraw their candidacies in favor of the final candidate (from the coalition or other candidate from the camp). Although members of the "2 +1" coalition are close to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it is likely that the Conservatives will gather around Saeed Jalili and withdraw their candidacies in his favor. Earlier, as Saeed Jalili's candidacy has become relevant, Velayati pointed to the possibility of Jalili in one of his speeches.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf - a scandalous candidate
The former commander of the Iranian police, former commander of the "IRGC" and the Iranian army, the current mayor of Tehran, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is also a member of the "2 +1" coalition. After Ghalibaf announced his candidacy, Iranian websites disseminated the video dating 2003, in which Ghalibaf, who was the police commander at that time, ordered to open fire during the confrontation between police and students at the Tehran University. Later another video was disseminated, in which Ghalibaf forced police to shoot. This scandalous video somewhat changed Ghalibaf's public image, formed in the years of his activity as the mayor of Tehran. Despite it, if he does not withdraw his candidacy in favor of Velayati and Jalili, he will be considered as one of the favorites. None of them have yet presented their election platform.
Gulamali Haddad-Adel - tactful candidate
Former Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Gulamali Haddad-Adel is a member of the Expediency Discernment Council and the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. Most likely, he joined the "2 +1" coalition to fulfill the mission on integration of the candidates from conservatives. As election day approaches, he is likely to withdraw his candidacy in favor of a single candidate to be chosen by the coalition.
Mohsen Rezaei - candidate with big ambitions, but without chances
The former commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and the current Secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council, Mohsen Rezaei though is fairly well-known political figure in Iran, so far has run for president several times, but each time at the last moment, not securing the required number of votes, withdrew his candidacy. Rezaei has repeatedly said in his speeches that he will improve the economic situation in Iran and will lead the country to prosperity. He said that he knows a way to solve the country's problems and will be able to address them. We can assume that each time he puts forward his candidacy, he presents himself with such ambitions. However previous results, and the fact that the elections have other stronger candidates from the same camp, show that he has little chance of becoming the president. There's a possibility that Rezaei will withdraw his candidacy in favor of one of the abovementioned candidates.
The reformist camp (3 members):
Hassan Rouhani - the main rival of conservatives
Despite chairman of the Strategic Studies Center of the Consultative Council and former Secretary General of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council Hassan Rouhani introduced himself as an independent candidate, he also considers himself as a reformist. The leader of the reformists' camp and ex-President Mohammad Khatami, as well as chairman of the Iranian Expediency Council Hashemi Rafsanjani, support the candidacy of Rouhani. In the current conditions of Hashemi Rafsanjani's disqualification, unanimously supported by the reformists, Rouhani is the leading candidate from the camp. "According to the discussions that I had with Rafsanjani, one of us - me or him will remain as the finalist on the last voting day," Rouhani earlier said in one of his statements. "If the events continue this way and there will be no new "surprises" (Hashemi and Mashaei are likely to be approved following the spiritual leader's interference), Rouhani is the main candidate from the camp, who can compete with the conservative camp.
Mohammad-Reza Aref - reformists' candidate
Mohammad-Reza Aref, who was vice-president of Iranian ex-President Mohammad Khatami, is a member of the Iranian Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, as well as a member of the Consultative Council. According to the poll of a number of Iranian media, Aref is a successful candidate from the reformists' camp. It is assumed that Aref will withdraw his candidacy in favor of Hassan Rouhani due to reformist-leaders Mohammad Khatami's and Hashemi Rafsanjani's support for Rouhani's candidacy on one side and the likelihood of rivalry with a single candidate from conservatives' camp.
Mohammad Gharazi - weak but ambitious candidate
During the presidency of Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Mohammad Gharazi was Minister of Communication, but Minister of Oil when Mir Hossein Mousavi was Prime Minister. He has not participated in the political processes for a long time. Gharazi unexpectedly announced his candidacy, and it was approved. "I have no money, campaign staff, press secretary, but I have a program to solve the problems of inflation in the country," Gharazi said during the press-conference today. As far as the voting day is approaching, there is a possibility that Gharazi will withdraw his candidacy in favor of other reformist-candidate.