Tehran, Iran, May 8
By Mehdi Sepahvand – Trend:
The late ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani preferred that Hassan Rouhani wins the 2017 election to become Iran’s president for a second term, Rafsanjani’s brother Mohammad Hashemi told Trend May 8.
“The reason was that the government has embarked on some very important undertakings, some of which could not be accomplished in four years and are halfway through and will be done in a second term,” Hashemi said.
Hashemi, who himself was disqualified from the presidential race by a screening body, said he thinks the country’s atmosphere is such that the late ayatollah’s wish will be fulfilled.
“But there is one shortcoming, that is, ayatollah Rafsanjani’s preferences have not been talked about by any of the candidates. If Rouhani and Es’haq Jahangiri tell people about these preferences I think they are sure to succeed,” Hashemi added.
Rafsanjani, who himself was Iran’s president for two terms from 1989 to 1997, helped Rouhani to presidency in 2013 in a hot round of election between the moderate Rouhani, backed also by reformists, and conservatives.