Presidential hopeful Ali Akbar Velayati, who has formed a coalition with key principlist figures, Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel and Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, has said that the coalition’s final choice will be decided after consultation with religious figures.
The former foreign minister, who currently advises Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on international affairs, emphasized that opinion polls are not reliable tools to determine the best choice for the presidency.
Earlier, Haddad Adel, a former speaker of Iran Majlis, had noted that the principlists need to agree on fielding a single candidate as this would be in the interest of all principlist groups.
The coalition is to pick one of its members with the highest approval rating as the nominee to succeed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Iran’s 11th presidential election will be held on June 14. Presidential hopefuls can register from May 7 to 11.
The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election and candidates must be vetted for qualifications by the Guardian Council.
