Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 17
By Khalid Kazimov – Trend:
Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Tehran mayor and a potential candidate for Iran’s May 19 presidential election, has come under fierce criticism over the municipality’s massive debts arising from “wasteful projects”.
Mohammad Tondgouyan, a member of Tehran City Council, has accused the mayor of mismanagement of public funds, saying that Tehran Municipality ran up huge debts during Qalibaf’s term, ILNA news agency reported Apr. 17.
According to the member of Tehran City Council, the amount of municipality’s outstanding debt is about $1.8 billion (60 trillion rials).
Tondgouyan added that some development projects launched during Qalibaf’s 12-year term were aimed at persuading voters to cast ballots in his favor during elections.
Qalibaf had put his candidacy in the previous two presidential elections in Iran.
Incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, influential cleric Ebrahim Raisi as well as former controversial President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are among the most well-known hopefuls planning to assume power through elections next month.
All candidates need to be vetted by the country’s constitutional watchdog body, the Guardian Council by April 27.