On his first day of official campaigning on Wednesday, the mayor of Tehran blamed mismanagement for the dire fiscal situation in the country.
He noted that his cabinet will include people with proven managerial skills in order to improve the economy.
Qalibaf also pointed to his experience as the mayor of Tehran and his successful record of job creation.
The presidential candidate stated that he will focus on a plan to grow the economy through investments and providing aid to small businesses.
He said the only solution to the current economic situation in Iran is weaning the economy off petrodollars.
Late on Tuesday night, Iran’s Interior Ministry issued the list of hopefuls approved by the Guardian Council to run in the country’s 11th presidential election, which will be held on June 14.
The Guardian Council approved MP Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili, Expediency Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei, Hassan Rohani, the director of the Strategic Research Center of the Expediency Council, former First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref, Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, former Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Gharazi, and former Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Velayati. The eight candidates were approved after a 10-day vetting process.
The council did not approve, among others, former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Esfandiyar Rahim-Mashaei, a top aide to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and former Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.
