Hashemi Rafsanjani, currently a presidential hopeful, was in power for 16 years, eight years as the president and another eight years as the Majlis speaker, said Qalibaf, who is also the Tehran Mayor, on Tuesday.
Qalibaf brought into question the social and cultural achievements of the Rafsanjani administration ‘despite enjoying the full support of Leader of Iran's Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei during his presidency.’
Rafsanjani’s return to power, Qalibaf said, would mean the whole country would suffer four years of tensions and polarization, and it would mean that impoverished people would get poorer.
Taking back the country to 20 years ago would be the biggest cruelty to people, the Tehran Mayor stated.
A total of 686 individuals signed up for the race during the registration period, which began on Tuesday March 7 at Iran’s Interior Ministry and ended on Saturday March 11.
The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election; and the Guardian Council vets the hopefuls, approving or not approving them for official candidacy.
The Iranian Constitution stipulates that presidential candidates must be religious or political figures, be Iranian by origin, have Iranian citizenship, possess managerial skills, have no criminal record, be trustworthy and pious, and have firm belief in the fundamental principles of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the country’s official religion.